


As You Exhale, I Breathe In

by Constantine_You_Owe_Me



Series: Life and Times- A&G [1]
Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Emotional Infidelity, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Fate Mates, Garrett x Aro, I MEAN OBVIOUSLY BUT STILL, Infidelity, Light Horror, M/M, Nonbinary Character, Pining, Praise Kink, Rare Pair, Slow Burn, Soul Mates AU, Twelve Gods of Olympus (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Vampirism, blood mention, fated pair, minor gore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2020-03-10
Packaged: 2020-07-08 17:08:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 46
Words: 110,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19873102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Constantine_You_Owe_Me/pseuds/Constantine_You_Owe_Me
Summary: Aro x Garrett.Alice's full premonition is not revealed to anyone but herself and Aro.In this premonition, Garrett and Aro collide in battle setting off an intense reaction. Believing this to be a gift Aro intends to summon Garrett to Volterra to provide a demonstration of what he saw through Alice on the battlefield.Garrett refuses to seek out the Volturi leader and instead remains with the Cullen family hoping their good stead with Aro would allow him a relatively peaceful life for a short time... but when odd visions start to haunt him he finds himself compelled to find some answers even if they come from Aro himself.(Tags will be updated as the story continues)(Rating may change in later chapters)





	1. Chapter 1

##  Chapter One 

_For a change, I'll refrain from hiding all of me from you._

  
  
  


No one saw what Alice saw, no one knew what she had shared with Aro as he took her small hand in his. The vision was between them only, and whatever it had been had certainly been enough for Aro to turn tail and retreat with only a second glance back at the witnesses still stood on the battlefield behind the Cullen’s. 

He had been ready for a fight, naturally, it was who he was and how he had lived for so long, but Garrett couldn’t help but wonder if that last long look had been directed at himself or his newest companion. 

Regardless, it left him on edge and he remained close to the group for the remainder of the day, even as the Denali clan moved to leave, Garrett stayed rooted to the spot and was hesitant to remove himself from the protection of the Cullen family home. 

When Kate approached him offering a consoling look of concern he could only manage to shake his head as though he was unable to speak rather that, than trying to explain that he was unsure what it was that bothered him. 

The Denali clan left but not without having Garrett promise he would catch up with them when he felt that he could. As soon as they had stepped foot out of the Cullen house Alice was at his side with a knowing look in her eyes. 

“I’ve been told that when you look at someone like that they are usually going to be real interested in what it is you have to say. So, I am all ears with this.” Though his tone seemed resigned there was a smile on his face as Alice led him to a sofa and made him sit with her, it made him nervous that she wanted him to be comfortable before she revealed anything. 

If this has anything to do with Aro… 

“In my vision, the one I showed Aro, you touched him and something happened. I don’t know what it was but he has a great interest in you now, he believes you have a special gift and will probably seek you out at some point. 

I would await a summons from the Volturi soon.” With that she was out of her seat and dragging Jasper off with her elsewhere. 

No further explanation was given which likely meant she didn’t know much beyond her vision. 

He tried to grasp at whatever the Hell it meant when Alice had said Aro believed he had a gift- there was nothing marginally special about him. He was just a nomadic vampire crossing America facing each new challenge headon. 

HIs existence was a mystery and Garrett had always enjoyed researching myths and legends about his own kind, regardless of how fantastical to the point of ridiculous the myths seemed he had seen too much in his life not to give them some thought rather than disregard them. 

Reality was a strange thing.

Standing, Garrett sought out Carlisle for advice, he found him upstairs away from the rest of the family in a study of sorts. The blond was standing by the window surveying the surrounding area as though on watch for something, though Garrett had been assured by many that the threat, for now, had been neutralised. 

“Alice sure is something, isn’t she?” He began, when Carlisle turned to face him he was gifted with a peaceful smile, Garrett moved to stand beside his friend his gaze drawn to the outside world just as Carlisle’s had been moments ago. 

“Ah, she told you something?” 

“Yeah, not sure what to make of it. In all honesty it worries me and I wondered if I could stay here for a little longer with your family, just until I work out my next steps?” 

Carlisle gave him a curious look but soon a smile followed and he nodded. Raising a hand he gave Garrett’s shoulder a friendly squeeze in the hopes it could offer some kind of comfort. 

“What did she tell you?” As soon as the words left him the feeling of unease filled the room to the point it was almost palpable. Once again Carlisle looked to his friend who kept his gaze firmly on the woodland outside the study window as though unwilling to meet his friend’s gaze to save himself from embarrassment. 

“Aro believes I have an undiscovered gift due to what he saw in Alice’s premonition.” As he spoke his brows knit together as he searched for his memories for something that remotely resembled a gift but there was nothing. 

There was not a single thing he was truly exceptional at to the point he could eclipse another’s ability. This was not a commentary on low self esteem but the truth as he saw it. 

“You’ve been alive long enough now that should you have a gift or talent you would have noticed and been efficient at controlling it. Whatever Alice saw… has the qualities of a talent or she did not see the whole premonition.” 

“Perhaps she did not understand what she saw?” Garrett questioned as he turned to face Carlisle, it would drive him wild not know what the Hell she had meant but there was no use losing his temper over something he himself did not yet understand. 

“Perhaps. After all, we discover new things about our kind all the time. This instance would be no different than any other time, wouldn’t you agree?” Carlisle was right but Garrett didn’t want to admit that just yet- something bothered him greatly about what Alice had said as though his already knew what it was but refused to acknowledge it. 

They parted ways and Garrett headed out into the forest to hunt and to gather his thoughts. As he headed down the stairs he steadfastly ignored Alice’s bright eyed gaze directed right at him as he strode past her. 

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Jasper stop her from following him out with a hand around her small wrist, she had looked up at her mate and sighed in resignation. No doubt this meant she would catch him off guard elsewhere later on. 

She did. 

He had found a seat at the empty meeting site, the bonfire that had been lit was nothing but a pile of ash, and as the night slowly set in the gloom made the clearing seem foreboding. Though, this was lost on Garrett as he sat carving from a block of wood with a small pocket knife, as whittled away at the bark he found his mind blank and calm for the first time that day since Alice had sprung her vision on him. 

When she seated herself beside him he didn’t look up from his work but he did acknowledge her with a very quiet ‘Good Evening,’ which she responded to before sighing as though she was the one fed up. 

“Carlisle told me to come and apologise for worrying you, he said it didn’t seem fair to tell you only half of something. I didn’t mean it, Garrett, I really thought you might have known what I was talking about!” Alice truly sounded repentant and when he finally set aside his carving to look at her she appeared to be sincere. 

It was easy to forgive her when he knew she genuinely had just wanted to help him. 

“What actually happened in this vision?” It was worth asking, if he had even an inkling of what was going on it would be better than what he had now which was absolutely nothing. 

She seemed hesitant to reveal more after she had been reprimanded by Carlisle, she wrung her hands together for a moment as though trying to settle her own thoughts, her indecision left the clearing silent and Garrett could only watch as she, seemingly, argued with herself internally.

“Alright, you have a right to know.” Her voice cut through the quiet of the forest and Garrett smiled as he jumped at the sudden sound. Overall he felt jumpy just from the fact her vision had revealed he was connected to the Volturi leader somehow. 

“In the battle you touch him, you touch Aro and some kind of invisible force brings him to his knees but you help him up and-” She stops at the look on his face, Garret gestures for her to go one and with a sheepish smile in his direction she continues. “He isn’t angry, he looks terrified of what he has seen or felt, it’s strange...” 

Honestly, knowing exactly what Alice had seen had not helped him at all, it just marred his thoughts with further confusion. Nothing seemed any clearer but he did feel uncomfortable at the way his heart pounded in his chest, he was scared. 

“Thank you for telling me but it doesn’t mean anything to me.” 

For the next few days Garrett busied himself with hunting and exploring the forest surrounding the Cullen household- Esme and Carlisle tried to draw him into conversation but so distracted was he with trying to keep his fear at bay they gave up and allowed him to roam through the trees uninterrupted. 

While it was true that vampires did not need to sleep, there were times where Garrett would find a quiet spot in the house to sit and close his eyes. It gave him time to reflect and after several days had passed he was starting to forget the whole vision thing- until he had one of his own. 

_Aro stood in a large sparsely furnished chamber three black thrones at his back as he stared down at him. He was beckoned by the leader and Garrett watched through his own eyes as he approached the Volturi leader._

_‘Show me..’ Aro’s smooth voice dark with ill intentions, he reaches out to take Garrett’s proffered hand._

_The second they touch Aro’s eyes widen and an unknown force has him doubled over but his hand does not move from Garrett’s._

_After a moment Garrett feels his own hand tighten its grip around Aro’s and he pulls the man up so they are face to face once again._

The vision ends as his eyes snap open and he flings himself out of the chair to his feet. It took a long time for his mind to stop racing and in a bid for absolute privacy he pulled open one of the windows and leapt out. 

As soon as his feet hit the forest floor he began to run, all the way up the side of the mountain until snow began to fall and blurred his vision until all he saw before him was white and the only sound was the howling wind swirling around him. 

Upon his return no one asked where he had been and he offered no explanation as to why he had vanished for two days without a word to anyone. Garrett figured one of the Cullen’s had tracked him to ensure his safety and for that he was grateful especially seeing as they had left him undisturbed. 

The same vision would haunt him for days afterward, in quiet moments of reflection wherein he believed he was ready to join Kate the vision would accost him and the call to Volterra would sing to him again. 

The nomadic vampire continued to keep his distance from the Cullen family, namely because he didn’t want Edward reading his thoughts, and he couldn’t bare to see Alice with the same expression on her face each time they crossed paths.

Every time he saw her she looked truly woeful and they decided silently that they would need to avoid one another as much as they were able, though there were times everyone congregated in the same room and then it was just awkward.

It wasn’t until Alice interrupted one of his visions that they finally spoke to one another again. She had stepped into the room just as his eyes flew open and he scrambled up into a sitting position blinking rapidly to clear the scene from his mind. 

“Garrett? Are you alright?” Alice closed the door behind her shutting anyone else out before hurrying to his side, she moved to touch him but he jerked away from her, he apologised realising that she had reached for him the same way Aro had and the familiarity of it had left him reeling. 

“I saw him… I saw Aro he was looking right at me!” Garrett knew he was not gifted, this vision was something else. This was something more powerful than himself, something more powerful than the Volturi leader, and it called to him it wound its message around his mind and sank its claws in settling in his head like a cat would settle before a fire. 

“Tell me what you saw, please let me help you!” Alice begged her voice quiet but desperate as she grabbed his hand squeezing it as though hoping the vision could be transferred to her that way. “Let me get Edward, he can help.” But she couldn’t get up, Garrett wouldn’t let go of her hand and he pulled her back into her seat ensuring she did not leave. 

“I need to go to Volterra.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carlisle refuses to let Garrett travel to Volterra alone and the two of them travel to the city together. 
> 
> While the majority of the Volturi coven are indifferent to their arrival Aro is positively joyful as he hopes to reveal Garrett's hidden power and hopefully gain a new member to the ranks. 
> 
> However upon meeting Aro and Garrett only create further questions...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am writing this solely for myself. It is the most indulgent fic I've ever written and by the GODS I am enjoying it. 
> 
> Those of you along for the ride, I truly appreciate it and for those of you who commented- Thank you!

##  Chapter Two

_ Until we reach the consequence, It's voluntary like your smile _

  
  


When Garrett told Carlisle that he was leaving for the Denali clan home he was gifted with a bland look before being told that everyone knew he was heading out to Volterra. Alice seemed to be strategically absent as Carlisle relayed Garrett’s secret plan back to him with every small detail included. 

“We cannot let you go alone.” Esme began and she looked to her husband who nodded in agreement, “You have no idea what might happen and if you are truly gifted would you stay with them? If you refuse they might try and keep you against your will.” It was the worst case scenario that the Volturi coven would keep him there as a prisoner, but Aro had asked Alice and Edward countless times to join him and they had outright refused and still they were safe.

Would it not be the same for him? Or were they safe because Carlisle been a well respected friend to Aro in the past?

He supposed it didn’t really matter now, Aro would request his presence at Volterra soon enough so it made sense for him to start travelling there now instead of waiting for the inevitable summons. 

“It will all be fine, you don’t need to accompany me there. This is just another adventure and if I get into some trouble I will try and work my way out of it as always.” He tried for a winning smile to convince the elder pair but it must have come across as more of a grimace because neither Esme or Carlisle were convinced he would be alright without them.

“At least let us send  _ someone _ with you. Let me come with you for insurance, if you’re alone they can make you disappear. With a witness it’s harder and I like to see Aro sometimes. It would be good for the Cullen family to repair any damage to our relationship with the Volturi that may have been caused at the confrontation.” Carlisle admitted and somehow he managed to weedle his way into Garrett’s plans without much effort, of course the doctor was kind enough to remain neutral rather than smug at his easy win, and Garrett thanked him with an eyeroll. 

It was settled, they would travel to Volterra together over the weekend and hopefully nothing would be amiss. Aro would see that Garrett was a normal vampire and he would be free to continue his life the way he had intended with the Denali coven at Kate’s side. 

They took a flight to Rome and drove the rest of the way, only stopping at night to hunt on deserted roads, they stuck close to the tree line seeking out animals and disposing of them carefully as to not raise any sort of suspicion along the way. 

Throughout the drive Garrett wondered idly, so as not to stress himself out, if Alice had seen the same vision as he?

If she had she hadn't said but… he couldn't help but feel her absence was because she did not want to further upset him with the things she'd seen. 

He mentioned none of this to Carlisle. Their conversation sparse as the travelled the winding roads through Northern Italy. 

When they reached Volterra the streets were empty and silent. It didn’t bode well for the both of them, but Carlisle remained cheerful and positive while Garrett stalked in the shadows ears straining to hear even the lightest footfall. 

He had no trust in the Volturi and he had no fear in letting any of them know that. While Carlisle wished to repair any severed ties between them Garret would surely make himself public enemy number one without hesitation.

When they reached the town square they spotted two figures standing in the shade of the clock tower. 

Jane and Alec.

_ Of course they'd send the creepy twins to meet us…  _ Garrett thought as he pointedly refused to acknowledge them and instead turned to look to Carlisle for his own reaction.

Jane was formidable on her own but with Alec at her side she was near invincible. Whole Garrett could see a cold smile playing at the corners of Jane's mouth, Alec looked stern and unwelcoming as he towered above his sister as he stood behind her guarding her back. They were monsters and held no love within them and they made no show of hiding it either. 

Carlisle gave them both a formal nod of the head in greeting while Garrett continued outright ignore them letting his friend do the talking- he wasn't here for them and they knew that so there was no need for small talk or inane pleasantries. 

"It is customary to call ahead before a visit even in these modern times. As your hosts we would have liked to prepare more but, alas, your manners are lacking and we wonder if it is the company you keep?" Jane's crimson eyes dart from Carlisle to Garrett and she sneered as though the blond had brought her a stray dog and asked her to pet it. 

"Come now, Jane, you know Aro is expecting us. To send a note announcing our arrival would surely be insulting and would infer that we are ignorant of his power as leader of the Volturi. He knew we were aware of his summons and now we are here, haven't we done everything correctly?" Carlisle spoke gently and with a polite tone as though to smooth over any non existing tensions between them. It seemed to work and Jane merely offered a shrug in response to his words while Alec glowered at him from behind her. 

Without another word Jane turned on her heel to head back inside, Alec followed suit but stepped aside allowing Jane to lead the way in, Carlisle followed Alec and Garrett lagged behind at the back not wanting to appear eager in any way. 

There was seemingly no dallying in this as the terrible twins led them both straight to the main chamber. The three black thrones accented in gold from his vision sat innocuously in the centre of a platform situated at the back of the room. 

They brought a shudder down Garrett's spine as his eyes rested upon them before testing himself away and forcing his gaze to take in the rest of the room. 

Caius and Markus ignored their entrance as they flicked through large tomes in search of something off to the side of the chamber, a myriad of candles lighting the desk as they worked. 

The nomad's arrival was of no consequence to them, this was Aro's little venture, his hobby to collect interesting vampires to add to their already immense force. 

To them he was merely a pawn for the front line, he did not enthrall them with unique power. He displayed no originality at all what use was he to them other than to sate their leader's curiosity?

Aro was already on his feet when they stepped inside. Jane and Alec vanished off elsewhere leaving Carlisle and Garrett to face the airy vampire alone, which seemed better than having them around if Garrett was being honest with himself. 

The smile that spread over Aro's face was near euphoric and Garrett shuffled backward as though a few meters more would change a thing between them. Regardless of his discomfort the elder would reach out beckoning him to him and with hand outstretched like a child accepting a sacrament from a holy man he would take Aro's hand and that would be that. 

His thoughts, most intimate and memories most precious would no longer be his own. All he was would be shared with the Volturi leader and Garrett had absolutely no say in the matter. 

While it ruffled his feathers to consider such, there was also an odd calm within him as though subconsciously he had already come to accept his fate. Once Aro had his sights set on you that was it, your life is not your own and you would be hunted down like a deer inches from the jaws of a ravenous wolf. 

Carlisle made small talk while Garrett wrestled with his thoughts. The two elder vampires chatted quietly a calm and comforting noise that clashed with the spiralling nonsense that cluttered his mind. Blinking rapidly, he noticed a lull in the conversation and noticed now that both Carlisle and Aro were watching him with great interest. 

Without much warning Carlisle excused himself from the chamber, as he passed Garrett he whispered that he would meet him outside in the town square before the day was out. 

There was nothing he could do but watch as his friend left him to fend for himself against what he assumed was, essentially, vampire royalty. 

When he turned his attention back to Aro the Volturi leader had moved to stand before the small platform. Neither Caius nor Markus made a move to take their seats to bring judgement down upon Garrett alongside their brother. 

This was it. 

The moment where the vision had started… 

Aro lifted a pale hand out to beckon him forward fingers crooked as he gently coaxed Garrett into moving. His unblinking red eyes seemed to glow in the flickering candle light that surrounded them both and Garrett approached him with his hand outstretched. 

"Show me…" 

An odd chill prickled over his skin as though the cool air of the room could affect him. The silence around him roared in his ears and he felt as though every minute movement he made creaked and groaned like he was suddenly an ancient and weary creature. His movements felt stiff to him almost marionette like as his arm extended out and at last his fingers grazed Aro's until they were hand in hand and the elder vampire's other hand covered the top of Garrett's. 

Their hands rested together for but a moment. 

A fire blazed through Garrett's veins in the split second their hands touched. Trying to cry out resulted in a choked off sound, sharp and pained, as the noise became trapped in his throat, his eyes widen as Aro sinks down to his knees eyes wild looking up at Garrett who struggled to stay on his feet. 

Caius and Markus at last pay attention and they are moved to action as they watch their brother struggle to regain his composure enough to rise to his feet again. As they surge forward Aro pulls his hand from the top of Garrett's and throws it out to halt them mid step. 

Heat. So much heat. Flames licked at his insides scorching his long dry veins and using his bones as kindling. Garrett took a moment from his screaming brain to ensure his skin was not blistering as he imagined it should be with the fire raging within. 

Whatever this was threatened to end him and for a brief spell he hoped it would. 

Eventually, Garrett was able to think straight and the heat that had seared his insides dissipated and left a warm buzz within him, a tolerable feeling if not still a little odd. 

He feels a hand squeeze his and he is brought back to reality that he and Aro were still physically connected by touch. The reaction to his touch had been… he couldn't describe it! 

It wasn't as though he enjoyed the feeling of being immolated from the inside out only to find he wasn't charred to bits… but now something urged him to help Aro to his feet and ensure the Volturi leader was well and unharmed. 

With this in mind he guided the man back to his feet, all the while frowning, because, while the experience had been awful, Aro seemed to look upon him with a dreamy expression as though he hadn't just endured a bonfire exploding in his lungs with an intensity that could melt bones as with ease. 

"Well, that was certainly something." Aro croaked though his tone filled with amusement as he continued to look up at Garrett with a smile curling at the corners of his mouth. 

"Now we must find out what that  _ something _ was." 

It surprised Garrett when he found himself nodding in agreement. 

Whatever that was… he sure as Hell didn't want to have to deal with again any time soon. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garrett is not allowed to leave the city after the spectacularly wild first meeting he had with Aro. The Volturi elder wants to ensure Garrett and his 'gift' are safe before they will release him again. 
> 
> With his freedom confined to the city Garrett allows himself a moment of reflection and all seems to be going well until Marcus gifts him with some very unwanted information.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gods, I am really enjoying writing for myself with this fic. 
> 
> The fact some of you are here enjoying the story makes it all the more sweeter!

##  Chapter Three

  
  


_ Can I suggest that you invest in something more than hopelessness.  _

  
  


"We have the best researchers at our disposal!" Aro’s cheery countenance had returned once he had discovered he had not suffered any permanent damage or any damage at all from the nomadic vampire before him. “We can surely work out what this little- ah, incident means and perhaps cultivate it into something worthwhile.” While his voice had been soft it was by no means a comfort in any way to Garrett.

He knew that Aro meant to keep him there indefinitely. 

The way in which he was dismissed further proved his point as Aro introduced him to a woman as she entered the room, she was to be his assistant should he need anything while he stayed with the coven and she would show him to where he would be staying. 

For a moment it felt like he should try to argue but common sense got the better of him and reminded him that the Volturi were not a group to be trifled with. Instead of causing a scene Garrett just nodded and left with the woman who turned out to be human…

“You feel safe around all these vampires?” He asked quietly as they walked along a hallway to a set of stairs leading to another floor above them. 

Her response was a bright and surprised laugh as she turned to face him as they reached the foot of the stairs.

“How would it benefit me to be afraid of them?” It was a bold statement but before Garrett could respond she spoke again. “I need to understand them if I am to be one of them.” So, she wanted to become like them?

So sincere she had been but he knew she would not live to see such a change, the Volturi would have no use for her- she was a clerk to them to file papers and give a human face to the outsiders coming on tours. 

There was no place for her. 

It wasn’t any of his business, if she wanted to trust the Volturi with her life she could, it was of no consequence to him. 

They didn’t make any further conversation after that and she didn’t seem to think he would give her an answer to her earlier question, they parted ways once Garrett had been shown his room. 

He barely glanced at it before he left for the town square to find Carlisle. 

The blond was already waiting for him in the shade of one of the buildings opposite the clock tower- Garrett skirted around the edges keeping to the shadows as the afternoon sun shone above them in the square. 

“You appear unscathed, friend.” It was obvious Carlisle was relieved to see him, there was no doubt in Garrett’s mind that his friend had been distrustful of the intentions of Aro regardless of their respect for one another. “Shall we leave?”

“I can’t,” The thought of leaving did not sit well with him, this trip was not over and he couldn’t just leave everything unfinished. “Aro would like me to remain here until we are sure that I am… safe.” He had never had to lie to his friend before and his stomach felt as though it was twisting itself into knots from the half-truth. Carlisle raised his brows in surprise but remained blessedly silent for a moment allowing Garrett to arrange his feelings and expression into some semblance of calm. 

“Is everything alright?” Carlisle asked quietly, if anyone was listening it didn’t matter how low he kept his voice, they would hear him. 

“No, but you already know that.” Garrett gives him a shrug hoping to appear casual, the situation was ridiculous and it worried him that he trusted Aro more than he probably should, but he did  _ feel _ safe within the walls of the Volturi coven house… whether or not he  _ was  _ didn’t much matter to him. 

His thoughts go back to the woman and her blind faith in the Aro and the rest. Was he just like her? 

Did he hope they could turn him into something better? 

“I would only feel comfortable heading home if you were leaving with me. I’ll call Esme and let her know I plan to remain here with you until you’re ready to come with me.” It was kind of him to offer but Garrett couldn’t let him stick around longer than he needed to. The current situation didn’t really have anything to do with Carlise and it would be better for him not to get involved further should anything go awry, but there would be no telling him and it wasn’t as though he could get Aro to promise no harm would come to him. 

The Volturi promises were like dust in the wind, they didn’t last long. 

There would be nothing he could say to convince Carlise to leave, and so he relented without argument. 

They spent the afternoon together before Carlise excused himself to speak with Aro properly and explain he would be extending his stay. Knowing his friend would be nearby didn’t offer him the comfort he had expected it to.

Instead, he just felt annoyed. 

For the rest of the day Garret skulked around the city keeping to himself, the streets were alive with the hustle and bustle of humans going about their daily lives now and the buzz of conversation surrounding him did ease his discomfort somewhat. 

For moments at a time, he would find his thoughts slipping back to the moment with Aro in the main chamber, the feeling of being burned alive from the inside out he thought that would have left him shaken- any normal person would have screamed until their throat was raw. It was such trauma and yet he was only left with the memory of grasping at Aro’s hand as the elder vampire sank to his knees from the pain. 

He assumed Aro had also felt pain, though he hadn’t exactly given much away other than he was interested in finding out what  _ it  _ was. Garrett was still in the dark as much as he had been before the experience. 

It was early evening when he was summoned back to the coven, a vampire who Garrett had not seen before appeared by the table he had been sitting at for the last 40 minutes. They did not speak to him but he knew he had to head back and was happy to discard facade of being a human, even if it had served him well and allowed him to integrate for a short time. It had been a small comfort to him. 

Part of him was eager to return as surely this meant they had found something of note the possibility of him having answers. 

Back in the chamber, he was greeted formally by Marcus who gestured for him to take a seat with him off to the side of the room. The other leading members were nowhere to be seen and Garrett bristled at this before realising that it didn’t matter if they were there, not really. He turned his attention back to Marcus who only offered a knowing smile which only provided Garrett with confusion as to why he was being smiled at in such a way. 

“You are looking for him, it is only natural. Aro has a presence that cannot be ignored and most that meet him do become attached and vy for his attention. In your case, it will, obviously, be somewhat different which I am here to explain to you.” As he spoke Marcus moved several books aside until he found the one he needed, and set about clearing a space on the table so that he was able to open it out at the pages fully. 

“Tell me, Garrett, have you ever been in love?” This seemed to be a loaded question or Marcus just wasn’t any good at making casual conversation. He was going to go with the latter, but when Marcus looked up at him expecting an answer Garrett felt his stomach twist uncomfortably. 

“Uh, I don’t think so. I might have loved someone when I was human but that was maybe over 200 years ago.” This seemed to satisfy the elder vampire who nodded as though he thought as much before turning his attention back to the book on the table. He thumbed through the pages in search of the information that seemed to be of the utmost importance. 

“While it is easy for me to tell you what happened earlier, I fear you may not completely understand and so I turn to the books in our possession in hopes I can paint a clear picture of this situation.

You need not look so uncomfortable- ah, you truly do not know what happened to you and Aro. Then perhaps the look of discomfort is not amiss after all…” Amused at his own words Marcus turns the book towards Garrett who leaned forward to read the tiny faded script on the thick vellum pages. 

It was a language Garrett could not understand and he frowned as he tried to glean any information from it. Upon noticing Garrett’s lack of reaction to the written word Marcus sighs and turns the book back to face himself. 

“You Americans… all these years you have lived and you decide not to learn a single language?” The reprimand meant nothing to Garrett what did it matter to him if he couldn’t read an ancient text?

“It is beyond me how you two… are a match.” Marcus mumbled under his breath as he tried to find the right passage in the text to read aloud- Garrett stared at Marcus for a moment a brow arched as he waited for the elder vampire to elaborate on his mumbling revelation. 

“Come again?” After too long a silence the nomadic vampire prompted the other into speaking in hopes he would explain what he had meant by being a match, he had a sinking feeling he knew what Marcus had meant given his gift and all but he just had to be sure. 

“Ah, yourself and Aro. You’re soul mates… a fated pair.” 

He shot to his feet so fast that the chair he had been sat on tipped back and clattered to the floor. His hands were balled into fists and before he could stop himself he cried out in denial. Without prompting Marcus got to his feet and set a comforting hand to Garrett’s shoulder in hopes it could calm him, failing that he would call upon Corin to placate him with her gift.

While he believed it was unfair to use such underhand tactics he had been ordered by Aro to ensure Garrett remained. And so he would until all was settled and the ‘gift’ he believed Garrett possessed had been named and confirmed as safe. 

“You deny it, I know this, many would as Aro is a man that may seem hard to love but easy to adore as an idol. Tell me, do you feel irritated as though you have left something behind and you cannot place what or where?” 

“Stop it, stop it! I am not going to listen to this- don’t- don’t try and coerce me into understanding this fucking madness!” Garrett stepped back a hand flying out before him as though hoping it would halt Marcus in his steps but the elder vampire could only offer a sympathetic nod as he moved to his side. “Don’t come any closer, god fucking  _ damn it _ !” Again tried to put distance between them and as soon as the anger came it subsided and a wave of calm washed over him. 

Trying to turn tail and escape the damned place he came face to face with Corin stood at the doors of the chamber her smile as superficial as the calm he felt beating in waves over his entire being. 

“Let me go… Please... “ 

“We cannot. I am sorry, Garrett. Aro needs to know and do you think he will decide to let you leave after this?” Marcus was at Garrett’s side again as he spoke and though his voice felt truly sorrowful Garrett could not find it in him to believe the sentiment was sincere. 

He really needed to speak to Carlise about this. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garrett is left with the power of Corin hanging over him. Carlisle tries to save the day and Aro throws one almighty fit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for everyone reading this and commenting!

##  Chapter Four 

_I'm allied to the night, And_ _warring_ _the morning_

With Corin almost attached to his side to ensure his mood was altered, Garrett was led back up to his room and left there with a guard at the door. 

Marcus believed that it was not at all necessary for such measures, Garrett was in far too much shock to contemplate running away, that much he could tell from the distant look in his eyes. 

Rather than experience the wrath of Aro by being lax in any way, Marcus ensured Garrett was incapacitated enough that the vampire was more a shell than a man. 

It was less than ideal. Marcus knew what life was like living under the influence of Corin's gift and it was why he refused to allow for it to happen to him again. But Garrett would fight against it he knew that much already and the man deserved to be himself throughout this. 

For now, he was tasked with speaking to Aro. 

With one last look at Garrett the elder vampire left to seek out the Volturi leader. 

Marcus had left him. Finally, he had been allowed to be alone with his thoughts, but no matter how he tried he could not clear his mind of the fog of contentment. Corin was outside with the guard her power too intense for him to shift and as much as he would have _loved_ to be irritated he felt fine. 

Obviously. 

There is awkward shuffling outside and the sound of a hissed conversation before between several voices before the door to Garrett's room opened. 

A familiar and very welcome site appeared in the form of Carlisle who was pushing his way past two guards, he threw a glare in their direction as he smoothed out his clothes. 

The door closed in his face and he turned smartly on his heel to face his friend all the while offering a very charming smile. A veritable hero stood before him in a smart clean suit. 

"It's a mess down there," Carlisle began as he crossed the room to where Garrett sat and joined him on the ridiculously luxurious sofa situated near a barred window. 

When Garrett didn't respond Carlisle took the opportunity to ask the question he knew was dreaded the most. 

"Is it true? I mean, I see no reason for Marcus to lie about such a thing… and you never explained what happened with you and Aro in the main chamber. 

Does that have something to do with this?

A fated pair is nothing to joke about… though I don't think I've ever heard Marcus joke about anything. 

If you need my help you must at least explain even briefly what is going on." Carlisle's tone was insistent but soft as he tried to coax something from his friend. Without further information he didn't see how he could help, though, he assumed the silence was Corin's doing and not Garrett being uncooperative intentionally. 

With Corin still guarding the door, Garrett was nothing but a stupified puppet sat waiting on the decisions of others. His life was in the hands of a group that knew nothing of him and cared less than that!

"When he took my hand, at first nothing happened and I think he just read my thoughts like you said he would, then- it was fucking awful. 

My insides were on fire like I'd swallowed a lit match and chased it with an oiled up rag! 

It hurt so bad and I thought I was dying, that I was legitimately going to die… if I was a God-fearin' man I'd swear it was the flames of Hell coming to engulf me!" The calm seemed to be wearing off and Garrett looked back at his friend with haunted eyes, the very memory had been stamped into his mind for the rest of time and no amount of words could describe the horror of feeling those flames inside him. 

Before he could utter another word he seemed to calm down. Carlisle reflexively turned his gaze to the door it was still shut but Corin was definitely reaching out to still any ill emotion within Garrett. Anger bloomed in his chest as he turned to see his friend, once again return to a zombie-like state. 

They had to get rid of Corin even for a moment. Garrett deserved clarity to consider his options even if it was just to confirm that he wished to return to America with Carlisle. 

"You know Aro is furious with Marcus. He feels betrayed that the man essentially lied to him about the relationship ties with his wife. 

I've never seen him so undone." The doctor tried for a joke but Garrett could only frown as though genuinely concerned. 

The air around them felt heavy and it forces Carlisle into action. Getting to his feet he strode to the door and pulled it open, the guards turned to him as though to question him but Marcus interrupted as he appeared at the top of the stairs beckoning Corin to him and whisking her away with him to the depths of the building. 

Aro must have gone wild. 

With that little hurdle felled things would be easier to plan. 

Garrett felt the fog lift from his mind but nothing made more sense than it had before Corin's gift subdued him. Carlisle was still stood by the door but the guards had left their posts now likely following Marcus and Corin to their destination for a chance to see the raving and ranting of their leader. 

The idea that Aro was near hysterical had left an odd feeling inside him and part of him wished to speak to the man. Even to settle with him that there was no possible way they could be a fated pair. 

"Let's get out of here while we can, the sooner we return to the US the better, I think." 

Bolstered by his own words Carlisle gestured for Garrett to follow him and smiled when his friend got to his feet. 

"I think I should see him, just once more before we leave. I just need to be sure that this is all a ridiculous misunderstanding." Garrett could tell by the look on Carlisle's face that his request was out of the realm of possibility but there was nothing he could say to dissuade Garrett. 

With a sigh, Carlisle relented, though he did mutter that it was likely suicide to show his face to Aro when the elder was so incensed. Garrett graciously ignored that to save his own ego but did give his friend an impish smile that implied he was ready for trouble. 

As they exited the room Carlisle asked the question Garrett had hoped he would not, not because he could not answer but because he truly didn't want to examine his answer too closely. 

"If it is real, do you think you could love him?" 

_It is definitely real. I can talk for days on an IF but there's no denying it… I think I can love him._ He couldn't say it out loud not yet so instead he offered a shrug which gave more away than an outright answer. 

It should have produced a feeling of revulsion- Aro was an enemy in his eyes and a man. Garrett had never found another man attractive- though he wasn't saying he did find Aro attractive just he wasn't grotesque by any means. 

"Must have given you quite a lot to think about if all you can do is shrug. I won't judge if you need time to think about this. But please promise me you will think about this back home and not here.

If you remain here I fear we won't see one another again for quite some time… assuming a positive outcome is arranged." They're already heading down another set of stairs that led to a lower chamber. 

Corin and the guard are stood outside the room as they both approach, access has been barred to them, Marcus is not with them and that's when Garrett hears the raging creature inside the private rooms. 

"Are you to be the one to tell my wife that a vagabond is supposedly taking her place at my side?! 

A tattered wastrel with nothing to his name bound to my soul with his to besmirch my name and reputation!" 

It felt like a punch to the gut to be referred to as some sort of homeless thief and Garrett bristled at the fact Aro clearly thought himself above him in every way.

_What a snob! What a brat! Won't be so uppity when I'm done with him!_ The thought ends abruptly and before he could stop himself he barges through the door ire clear in his expression as he stalks toward the still seething Aro. 

"Ah! The jester appears to taunt me further. Your fiery touch has branded me until the sun bursts and we are reduced to nothing but ash. 

Does it please you to drag me down to your level, transient?!" He threw his arms up as though revealing monster to a group of spectators and Garrett snarled his lip curled as he stalked closer unafraid of any repercussions that might occur. 

With one fluid motion, Garrett reached out and wrapped a hand around Aro's pale wrist and pulled him toward him until his lips were at the elder's ear. 

"That's enough now. Stop being such a brat we've no time nor inclination to listen to your theatrics." Garrett felt the man before him stiffen at the words and a startled splutter escapes but no further words were forthcoming from Aro. 

Silence.

Not a single person spoke but all eyes were on Garrett and the way his hand gripped Aro's wrist. Their gaze is unwavering as they watched Garrett step back still holding Aro's wrist and awaiting a response as though expecting an apology from him. 

It felt as though the occupants of the room collectively held their breath and no one dared to break the deadly silence hanging around them. No one took a step toward them to put themselves between the two. 

No one moved to protect their leader. 

Garrett held Aro's startled gaze, the elder's crimson eyes wide and almost childlike as he tried to process that a common creature, like the one still holding him, had admonished him for his behaviour. 

"I- I… I'm sorry." The words came out as a whisper but they seemed sincere even if Aro had looked rather confused as he spoke them. "I'm sorry, Garrett." He repeated and eventually his wrist was released and Garrett stepped away leaving breathing space between the two of them. 

Oddly, as Garrett stepped away Aro jerked forward as though he had the intention of following him but stopped himself before he could take the step. Everyone had seen it and soon the small crowd of Volturi began to whisper amongst themselves at the spectacle they had been allowed to witness. 

Caius stepped in and then and with a look silenced the voices. He moved between the two in the centre of the chamber blocking Aro's view of Garrett and severing whatever connection had been created from their meeting. 

The whispering started up again but Garrett paid it no mind, something in him urged him to return to Aro's side but as he finally made the decision to move a hand landed on his shoulder, and his attention was turned to Carlisle who now stood at his side. 

"Make a decision, old friend, we leave now or you will be stuck here. Do you want to go home?" 

The question struck him right square in the chest. 

Could he really drag himself away back to America when he was so close to getting the answers he needed?

"Oh no, I don't like that look on your face, Garrett. I will be leaving regardless of your decision but please think this through carefully." As Carlisle spoke he gently tugged Garrett toward the exit as though hoping it would convince him to actually leave. 

Eventually, Garrett pulled himself from his thoughts and dug his heels into the floor. He winced knowing full well there was a chance he would not see Carlisle for a long time or even ever again. 

He could never go home after this.

But...

Where was home now if it wasn't there with Aro?

_Fuck._


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garrett meets Aro's wife and he doesn't find it particularly enjoyable, and now he feels his only option is to pick a fight with the universe or work with Aro to resolve the mess they're in.
> 
> Carlise is there with friendly yet unwanted advice and Marcus remains wildly unhelpful and mysterious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am living for this drama. 
> 
> Anyone reading I hope you enjoy this as much as I did writing it.

##  Chapter Five 

_The sky will fall but I don't care_

  


The noise level in the chamber had risen significantly to the point of jarring as the collective voices turned from interested to outraged.

Someone mentioned Sulpicia "Let her speak on this!" They cried as though it could summon her to the chamber floor.

Sulpicia could have been in the room with them and Garrett would have had no idea. They had not met a single time and he didn't know her face- scarcely knew her name until Carlisle explained in his ear that she was Aro's wife.

That certainly put a spanner in the works. Not that it hadn't already been extremely complicated to begin with… this just made things stickier.

Well, it could have been worse. He could have been in love with Aro. Laughable to think that he ever could be even after he thought it possible not moments before. The man was a brat and dramatic! They didn't fit, Garrett liked a quiet life in seclusion and Aro was definitely a man that enjoyed socialising even when claiming to be 'not in the mood.'

Nothing seemed right about the situation in its entirety but that didn't stop the weirdly irritated feeling in his chest when someone mentioned Aro's wife again.

That had to stop. The pang of jealousy every time Sulpicia's name was said aloud. She was his wife and rightfully so, Aro likely loved and adored her!

This is driving me wild. I don't love Aro! This is just some awful ancient magic warping my logic to fit its agenda!

"You can't take your eyes off him, Garrett. You're already trying to seek him out in every room and in every face you see." Carlisle was still stood by his side for all the threats he'd made to leave Garrett there alone he was still hesitant to make good on them. He did sound put out though, almost as if he was tired of trying to convince his friend of anything, and that he had finally let the reality sink in. Garrett was absolutely not going to follow him back to Forks.

"I'm sorry but I just can't leave. Not yet. If I am unconsciously seeking him out I want to know why and how. I had never met this man ever until earlier today and now my life is upside down because of him. Wouldn't you be curious of him too?"

"You know why this is. You're a fated pair the universe has decided that."

Carlisle was gifted with an incredulous look.

"You don't believe in that hocus pocus do you?"

"Garrett, we're immortal creatures that survive on the blood of living animals or humans. If that isn't some kind of dark magic at play then what is it? Face it, old friend the universe controls us and is full of magic."

Oh, that didn't sit well with him. Not at all and he felt the growl as it rose up into his throat and turned into a snarl on his lips.

"The universe doesn't get to decide who I fall for or who I want to exist with at my side. I do. I don't believe in fate or what the universe has in store for me someone is just fucking with us for fun." There was no convincing him that this wasn't some cosmic mistake even if he didn't believe in all that, even if he did feel the begins of panic gnawing at his insides when he imagined leaving Volterra without Aro.

What he wouldn't give to feel normal again instead of the seesawing mix of emotions he was dealing with.

Their conversation ended there as the room fell into another silence. The atmosphere tense once again and both men look round to see Sulpicia stood at the entrance to the chamber.

Her inquisitive red gaze taking in the occupants of the room as though seeing them for the first time. Aro is at her side in an instant and Garrett has to force himself to look away as resentment rises like bile in his throat.

"My husband, I am told something is amiss? An unworthy creature hopes to usurp me as the one that resides at your side?" The tone in which she spoke was careful and calculated. Sulpicia clearly understood the implications of the situation and hoped that her ties were stronger than that Garrett shared with her husband but still she remained cautious.

"Ah, it is more complicated than that, dearest one." Aro's voice was soft as he spoke to her hoping it could soothe the thinly-veiled ire that laced her words.

With gritted teeth, Garrett turned to face them both. Well suited to one another a perfect match and yet… something seemed lacking between them. He was no expert at relationships he likely never would be but the two of them seemed so stiff as they stood side by side.

What did it matter to him? What did he care if they showed affection in a way that appeared unconventional to most? Garrett wanted no part in the destruction of Aro's relationship, he didn't want to them together or apart he didn't want to see them at all!

Perhaps it would be better for him to return to Forks and move on from there? Carlisle hadn't yet left though he likely couldn't leave the dramatic scene unfolding before him like a theatre production it was probably vastly more entertaining than anything happening back at home.

Suplicia spoke again.

"Show him to me. I wish to see his face, I will judge his worth and if I find him acceptable," There was a long pause as she smoothed out the wrinkles from her dress as though using it as a device to keep the attention on her as she processed how to proceed. "If I find him acceptable you shall not hear another word against him from me and I shall relinquish my title as your wife." When she spoke she eyed the other vampires in the room as though sizing them up wondering who had been the one to drive a wedge between her and her husband.

Who had the gall to even imagine they could separate them?!

Aro turned to face the crowd and saw, with no surprise, that all eyes were on him. His gaze seeks out Garrett's and when finally sees him again a relieved smile forms faintly on his lips.

_Why are you so happy to see me when I am literally ruining your marriage to a woman you definitely love?!_

_Don't smile at me this is already confusing my feelings don't give me hope I don't want or need!_

_Ridiculous man. How can you smile so softly at me after calling me a joke and stray in front of your cronies?_

A frown formed on Garrett's brow but before he can look away Sulpicia has pinned him to the spot with an almost haughty look, but it soon falters when her attention flicks to Aro who is still smiling at Garrett like he had forgotten the others in the room. Seeing this play out before him was awful, he didn't want to see this woman lose the confidence in her eyes or begin to second guess her worth to her husband. No one deserved that especially not because of him!

It would be easier to think if he wasn't surrounded by vampires staring at him like he was a circus animal solely there for entertainment. The whole city felt closed in and the chamber he stood in only made things worse with its lack of windows.

There was no inclination as to how much time had passed there and Garrett genuinely wanted to get out and hunt. He wanted to vent his frustrations on an unsuspecting human rather than being the centre of court intrigue.

"You? I had expected a woman, but Aro's tastes have changed so often in the centuries we have existed. I suppose it is to be understood that a man's desires can change. While he would never break our marriage vows the gaze can linger upon a particular beauty from time to time." Her words were barbed which were followed up with a simple elegant shrug, and now Garrett was no longer sure who she was angry with... him or her husband.

“Right…” Garrett uttered even though he was quite sure Sulpicia had not required a response from him.

But this wasn't just some wandering eye. Marcus had made that abundantly clear even with such a sparse explanation. Fated pair was an intense description and Garrett was beginning to see why.

With his thoughts and feelings going from one extreme to another it was hard to ignore that something powerful was at play. Though he was damned if he would admit to Carlisle that in the space of 5 minutes his mind had been changed by a brief exchange. The doctor probably already knew he was crumbling and surrendering to the idea that a higher power, and immense magic, existed all around him.

"You have no words to explain yourself?" Her voice cut through his thoughts sharp and demanding, everything she had a right to be. Garret turned to look at Sulpicia and tried to organise his words into something akin to eloquence but so far all he could do was shrug and he heard Carlisle sigh beside him as though truly giving up.

"What could I say to you that would make everything better, you know yourself that I can't change anything about this. You are welcome to your rage and upset, I would not want to take that away from you but you are misplacing the anger. I am a victim as much as Aro is in this." Aro, who had been looking at his wife, whipped his head round to stare at Garrett. They came to a silent understanding then and there that regardless of what anyone thought of what had happened it was between them only, and with a solemn nod to Garrett Aro turned to his wife and took her hand gently tugging her from the centre of attention and out of the door.

Another pang of jealousy coursed through Garrett, he wouldn't let it take over him, he was not really feeling this, these were not his emotions just something fabricated by the magic that bound him to the Volturi leader. But seeing Aro look upon his wife's face with such gentle and sincere adoration left a lingering bitter taste in his mouth. Idly, he wondered if the earlier stiffness between them had merely been their formal appearance for a crowd- these members of the Volturi very likely rarely saw the leaders of their coven lest something important was to be announced.

"Hm, that went better than expected. However, you seem to be public enemy number one to the rest of them here. Best make ourselves scarce while decisions are made about your future in Volterra." Carlisle took a still outwardly stunned Garrett by the arm and, as Aro had with Sulpicia, removed him from the chamber. When he moved to lead him back upstairs Garrett resisted and his friend allowed himself to be lead out into the dark square.

The sky was clear above them and thousands of stars glittered above them as their silent and watchful companions, none of the lamps had been lit in the square and Garrett revelled in the feeling of being surrounded by darkness. While he did not need to breathe, he still took a cleansing breath before putting distance between himself and Carlise. If he could have he would have spilt the contents of his stomach right on the immaculate stone beneath his feet.

Instead, he was left with a swirling head, which to a vampire was something akin to nausea.

Closing his eyes Garrett let the days events sink in. Leaning forward onto his thighs he supported his upper body while he waited out the panic that had taken up residence in his chest. He heard Carlisle speak beside him but the words didn't make sense as though the man spoke another language. He tried to concentrate on the words but in the end, he had to stand up and look back at his friend, it was then he realised the doctor was speaking another language and to someone else.

Marcus had come to see them.

They both turn to him when they notice Garrett is paying attention now and is no longer hunched over as though his body was collapsing.

"Ah, Garrett. Please, let me apologise to you for not further explaining the situation. I was hasty in my assumption that you understood," The ancient began, he gave Garrett a long look searching for any reaction to his words. When he found none, his attention turned to Carlise who merely returned the look with a 'What do you expect?' expression.

"What do you want me to say about his, Marcus? ' _Oh, it's fine! Everything is great, my life is no longer my own and I can't control my own emotions and now when I see Aro everything just automatically feels better and I wish people wouldn't act so entitled to his time when he is mine!_ ' Everything isn't ok because of those very reasons! " The outburst silenced the three of them, Carlise threw up his hands and turned away to compose himself, while he was extremely confused he could not help the smirk forming on his lips at his friend's very unorthodox confession of attraction regarding Aro.

"You've said enough for tonight, I believe. The rest of the night is yours and no one from the coven shall disturb you. We just request that when you are eventually called for that you return to us."

Before they parted ways Marcus pat Garrett on the shoulder as more of a consolatory gesture than as a means to comfort.

"I dislike that he came with supposedly every intention of explaining this to you further but instead leaves you with more questions." Carlisle groused, clearly miffed on his friend's behalf at Marcus and his mysterious behaviour.

"I'm starting to miss Forks," Garrett mumbled in response.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aro and Garrett meet face to face alone for the first time. 
> 
> They are no further forward with their questions on the bond which only causes further friction between them. 
> 
> Tempers flare and Garrett has to deal with the ire of the one he is absolutely sure he is NOT in love with.

##  Chapter Six 

_Shed your skin and expose your bones_

The first rays of the morning sun were slowly stretching across the sky and Garrett still wandered the city, opting for the outskirts finding shadows to linger in. Carlisle had long since left his side for the company of his old friends, this allowed Garrett to mope around the city unimpeded by conversation or the need to entertain a companion.

His need to hunt had subsided as he walked through quiet and empty streets, the calm silence of the night had washed over him like a balm soothing away his worries until they seemed distant enough to forget for moments at a time. There was plenty to see in the city and Garrett searched out back streets and dark alleys mapping out the place should he need to be there for longer than intended.

How long had he intended to stay?

That was a question he had not asked himself, he hadn't needed to with the number of times Carlise had told him he ought not bother with prescribing to a time frame. The decision was out of his hands even if he refused to acknowledge that earlier. The Volturi owned him in this city and as he had said earlier, his life was not his own even if Aro gifted him with the freedom to travel he would always be required to return there, wouldn't he?

It was, perhaps, something to ask when he had organised himself into some semblance of a competent man that had some idea of what was going on in his own life!

Someone called out to him, turning from his spot on the end of what would usually be a busy high street, Garrett spotted the same Volturi guard that had escorted him back the first time. Feeling defiant Garrett elected to ignore the summons and he turned from the vampire and walked in the opposite direction.

Marcus' words echoed in his mind as he did so but it was easy to brush aside the ramblings of an ancient when you had no respect for them. As far as Garrett was concerned the elder was just a dusty old man that liked to still feel relevant in a fast-changing and growing world. As he walked he realised he was being followed and as he rounded a corner he caught sight of the guard tailing him down the streets. Of course, the city was far too small to lose his stalker in but that didn't mean Garrett wouldn't toy with him a bit before relenting.

Sensing the guard was annoyed only brought a grin to his lips as he sped up a little, he threw himself up to the top of a building which prompted the guard to give chase as he matched Garrett move for move only slightly behind him. The vampire following him snarled a curse under his breath as Garrett eluded him once again, but it had been close, he had felt the other's fingertips graze the back of his shirt just as he leapt across to another building.

If anyone could see them they did not give it away, and so far their little chase had not come to an end by the orders of a guard that outranked his pursuer. He was causing a scene, he knew that, and it was far too close to the waking hours of mortals which only added another layer of danger to the game.

He slowed suddenly realising that Aro would be upset with him and his behaviour, if any mortal saw him he would be put to death- Yes! If he threatened to reveal vampire kind to the mortals of the city Aro would have no choice but to sentence him to death, thus the bond would break. However, the downside would be that he had to die for this to work and while he didn't recommend anyone becoming a vampire, it did not mean he wished to end his life because he was one.

So deep in thought had Garrett been, he completely failed to remember that he was being chased by an enraged Volturi guard, who was now tackling him to the floor snarling as his hand grasped the back of his neck pinning him face down on the roof of a building close to the clock tower. Struggling to turn over Garrett's gaze met with the guard's and he saw the vampire looking back, his blood-red gaze filled with triumph and fury. They pulled him to his feet and threw him from the roof of the building into the square where Garrett landed heavily cracking the flagstones beneath him.

The game was over it seemed.

Slowly Garrett forced himself to his feet, the world spun around him momentarily, once he had regained his balance he turned to look for the guard but they had vanished. Aro was now stood by his side looking decidedly unimpressed. The look softened and he leaned in to dust off Garrett's shirt, it was torn from the impact against the floor and Aro clicked his tongue at this when he spotted it.

"You were under strict instructions to return to us when called for." Aro's sharp tone did not match the soft look he was giving Garrett's torn shirt, as though he realised this himself his brows knit together in a slight frown and he looked up to Garrett with confusion clear in his eyes. "These feelings do not belong to me. I am not sure I understand them."

Something they could agree on. Garrett hoped the conversation would continue in the same vein for a quick resolution to their shared issue.

"I understand. It's the same for me." This was the first time they had spent any time alone together. No guards slunk about in long shadows as the sun rose, and spectators did not gather and speculate- the square was empty and would stay like that for as long as Aro needed it to be Garrett assumed. The power and sway he had did give them breathing space to be honest with their thoughts on the matter. This was no longer a theatrical production for the masses to view as entertainment. This was finally between them and no one else.

How long this seclusion would last Garrett was unsure, but it would only be a matter of time before someone else decided they needed to solve this issue. If that put either himself or Aro in trouble Garrett could not promise he would not fight any obstacle that stood in his way, human, vampire or otherwise.

They had to fight a higher power, to release these bonds and yet the very thought left Garrett near visibly shaken. Had the magic of this... curse, that's what it was, a curse to be bound to an unsuspecting stranger and label it as a romantic and fateful love, buried itself so deep into his bones he could no longer shake it?

Had he been older and had met Aro earlier would things have been different? Had their meeting somehow been delayed and this truly was supposed to happen?

"Show me," Aro spoke quietly as he took Garrett's offered hand, he had been watching Garrett for some time as the man fell deep into thought. His eyes widen for a split second before his face smoothes itself into something unreadable. "You would consider death to sever the bond?"

"You know damn well I did and you know that I decided against that! What? You want me to do it, I suppose it would be easier for you if I just up and broke the law so you could kill me." All the fear and confusion melded into anger and Garrett ripped his hand from Aro's. "You probably want to see me on my knees looking up at you with fear before you liberate me from life." He spat the words out ensuring Aro understood every single one of them. Gods he wanted to hurt him to see that indifferent mask slip for a second to gratify his rage.

"Speak up, Aro. If you won't dignify my statements with a response then instead tell me what else did you see?" A fire inside raged and his veins were seared with it as he moved toward the elder vampire grabbing his hand again with the intention of sharing his thoughts but Aro slipped away from him. "Don't be a coward now, I heard how displeased you were with my appearance in your life, I'm a stray something filthy to toy with and toss aside but nothing worth truly loving. Push against our bond try and break it. You can't you know that so admit it! Admit that killing me would be the easiest thing to do."

"Stop it!" Aro snapped and slapped him across the face with such force that Garrett stumbled back a couple of steps the skin broken were Aro's nails had caught his cheek "How dare you assume anything about me and my feelings on this damned situation." Aro straightened up squaring his shoulders returning to his earlier display of poise and elegance, clearly aghast at his own behaviour when lashing out. But again, his face smoothed into an expression of complete nonchalance as though unaffected by his earlier display.

"Barely 24 hours into this bond and you are already unbearably barbaric. I had believed you could offer eloquence when you wished but it seems you allow your emotions to rule rather than logic thought. A pity." It was likely meant to be a cutting remark but Garrett only rolled his eyes at the sad attempt to get more from him, and instead, he began to pace the square ignoring Aro for a moment.

"I saw... something," Aro started suddenly breaking the silence, Garrett paused and waited for Aro to speak again, further down in the city he could hear the world waking and mortals starting their day. Their time here alone would come to an end sooner than he had anticipated. "I can't understand the way you think- always this and that and then the opposite! You don't know what you want! You haven't from the start and yet you expect me to know?!"

"Yes?" Garrett responded, his questioning tone seemed to irritate Aro and it brought a smirk to his face as the Volturi leader approached him.

"I see everything. All your thoughts and memories and you're scared that the bond is real and that your feelings are too."

There it was.

Admitting it aloud had never been an option because up until Aro had explained it, Garrett had not really had any idea how to put into words his apprehension.

"Aren't you afraid of this too? Your wife and your _reputation_ are at risk." Aro narrowed his eyes at Garrett as he mocked him for worrying about his reputation but he nodded in answer to the question. 

Someone stepped into the square and that was the end of their privacy and the end of their conversation because when Garrett turned back Aro was gone. It left him feeling hollow after all the anger had seeped out. It was as though Aro had leached it from him before vanishing like he had done him a favour because he couldn't give him answers.

Returning to his assigned room was all Garrett could do for the moment.

When he got there he found Carlisle sat on the sofa reading, he didn't look up from his book but he did point to a shirt laid out on the bed to replace the one torn one he was wearing. Garret swiped up the shirt and gave it the once over. Black obviously, but well made as far as he could tell, a real fancy thing, he ignored the well-tailored suit jacket that came with it as he changed out of the old shirt and tossed it aside. Someone had known his exact measurements but he didn't want to think about how.

"Do I want to know why you've been given a new shirt and why your old one is torn up on one side?" The book was set down and Carlisle eyed Garrett as he took a seat on the bed. "Is everything alright?"

"You're supposed to be my friend, not my dad." Was his only comment but he did toss a smirk in his friend's direction in hopes that it would rid Carlise of any worry he had about his state of mind. He truly hoped it worked because there was no way in Hell he could explain anything that had happened.

He was truly just as confused as he had been earlier.

Only now, he wanted to see Aro more than ever.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garrett gets a little friendly advice from the secretary and again feels the beginnings of Aro's ire. 
> 
> His "misbehaviour" just doesn't seem to go unnoticed and yet he digs his claws further into what is already a messy situation.

##  Chapter Seven

_ Crack bones with blind aggression _

  
  


Being monitored everywhere he went was an experience.

The second Garrett decided to leave his room he would see someone out of the corner of his eye watching him. The first time was in the hallway his room was on, he'd closed the door behind him and stepped towards the stairs but stopped when he saw the familiar red and black uniform of a Volturi coven member, they were stood at the end of the hallway dead end. When he turned to face them to ask them what they wanted of him they were gone and he seemed to be on his own again.

They appeared again in the same place when he turned back to the stairs while he decided on whether or not it was worth heading back into the city. Ultimately, he decided it didn't matter if he was being watched, though he did wonder if he had gone stir crazy or if it was even possible to have such a phenomenon happen seeing as he had only been in his room for a few hours.

It happened again when Garrett went in search of Carlisle, he didn't find him but he did awkwardly bump into Sulpicia as he left the library- she steadfastly ignored him and Garrett had the grace not to look her in the eye as they passed one another, as he left the library he spotted the guard down the hall. It was getting really unnerving at this point but there was no one he could complain to who would be sympathetic to his 'plight'.

Other than that oddity, Garrett had managed to enjoy a relatively peaceful day wandering around the coven house. The place seemed generally deserted but he put that down to the coven members avoiding him, then again they could have just been busy, they all had lives it wasn't as though they were expected to remain in their rooms until called for. At least, he hoped that wasn't the case. Again, he concluded that overall it didn't matter to him he wasn't sticking around.

_ I'm NOT staying. I don't have anything to keep me here. _

_ Except you might be in love with Aro and are just furiously repressing it. _

Appalled at his own thoughts and how quickly his own mind had turned against him, Garrett decided on leaving for the city anyway. It would be a good change of pace and social meters could be filled by just being in a crowd, he didn't need to speak to anyone. His social meter was fairly low, he wouldn't need to be out long because he didn't thrive on the company of others. That was what set him and Carlisle apart, that man wanted family and the security of having someone to rely on. Garrett didn't see the appeal.

The social quota was quickly filled and Garrett took a lazy, human paced, walk back up to the coven house, he had to admit he had felt unusually calm for the best part of the day and for a moment cold dread dropped into his stomach when he realised the guard following him could very likely have been Corin. That theory flew right out of the window when he realised he had been allowed to feel dread instead of forced contentment, but he concluded that he could see the appeal of being always happy, outwardly perhaps not, but inwardly not worrying over problems seemed wonderful.

As he was entering the square he was greeted by Carlisle who met him halfway with a bright smile as he clapped a hand to his shoulder.

"Ah, good I was hoping to see you before I left. I'm afraid there has been an incident at home and I must return to Forks immediately."

"Is everything alright?"

"Nothing to worry about, it is the hospital I work at that has the issue. The Cullen family are all well and good, but I am sorry to leave you like this. You've handled yourself well enough up to now but I cannot help but feel that I am some of your impulse control." All of this was said with a smile brighter than the midday sun and Garrett couldn't find it in him to tell his friend that he was behaving for someone else. His mind repressed the name for a moment and he was thankful for that.

"We'll see each other again. You can't get rid of me that easily." As he said this Carlise shook his head as though wanting to argue but he remained silent only nodding his head as a last goodbye before walking past Garrett and heading for the city where he had left his car.

Sighing, Garrett knew all too well that Carlise worried for his safety here and to be honest the thought had crossed his mind that any Aro fanatics might try and end him to protect their leaders... purity? Was Aro... no, he was not getting into that when the possibility of Aro reading his thoughts again was very likely. Still, it was nice to have had his friend around. Without Carlisle, he had no one to talk to who really knew him, and while he disliked being completely social he still liked to while away the hours with someone nearby.

For the first time since he had arrived Garrett really felt very far from home.

Pushing the door to the coven house open he stepped inside, the secretary from the day before looked up from her desk and smiled brightly at him. She seemed unaware of the drama currently going down with the coven involving himself, or if she did she was doing a stand-up job of pretending to be ignorant of it. Giving her nod in greeting she got to her feet before he could walk past.

"Ah, Sulpicia wanted to see you, she told me to let you know when you came back and that she would be in the library." With the message relayed she retook her seat but continued to look up at him expectantly.

"Uh... thanks, I'm sorry I don't know your name." He really had to brush up on his manners, that was probably why he didn't spend a whole lot of time around other people. To her credit, she didn't seem annoyed that he hadn't asked her earlier and instead supplied her name easily. Bianca. "Well, thank you for the message, Bianca. Do you know if it is mandatory that I attend her summons?" This produced a nervous sort of laugh from the mortal which Garrett found genuinely sweet.

"I'm sorry, you really do not know the rules of the coven house do you?" She smoothed out her dress as she stood up again and walked to his side, she guided him toward the alcove that was her office so they were no longer stood out in the open. It didn't really afford them any privacy when the whole coven could probably hear her heartbeat from 10 clicks away. This conversation was absolutely not confidential by any stretch of the imagination.

"I can't sit at my desk and act like I have no idea what is going on with you and the coven leader. I suppose as a secretary I'm seen as a non-issue... y'know, no threat. What can a tiny blond human do against a coven of vampires that can inflict pain with just a look?" Another nervous laugh escaped from her and Garrett felt for her, turning her would save her but only for a few hours. "You cannot go against the wishes of the coven leaders or their wives. To think you could just ignore a summons from Sulpicia- you're really something." Bianca smiled up at him and Garrett got the distinct feeling that she assumed he was a fledgling with no knowledge of any vampire etiquette.

"You should get going, she is absolutely going to know you're already here. Don't keep her waiting and I hope I see you around again soon, Garrett." With that, she returned to her seat and waved him off.

After being shooed by the secretary Garrett moved out of the alcove and headed down a dimly lit corridor hoping he was heading in the right direction, as he walked someone fell into step beside him. It was Aro and again he looked displeased, and Garrett wondered what he had done now to upset his royal majesty to have him silently seething beside him like if Vesuvius was personified.

"Something you need? I am on my way to see your wife, and I don't think I can be late, even if it's your fault." The light-hearted humour was wasted on Aro who gave Garrett a very obvious side eye which prompted him to stop walking and turn to face the coven leader. "What?" His tone full of exasperation and he threw his hands up desperate for an answer.

"You seem to be very popular here." Aro's response nearly knocked Garrett off his feet and he threw his head back as he laughs out loud fully aware that it sounded derisive. 

Good.

"Are you  _ fucking _ insane, my only friend just left. I don't know anyone here and I sure as Hell know no one likes me because I am ' _ tearing apart our precious leader's marriage oh no! _ '" Every single inch of him screamed for him to be quiet, he surely couldn't get away with speaking to Aro like this not when they were stood in the coven house surrounded by vampires that supported him without hesitation.

"You are disgustingly disrespectful. For all your thoughts of falling in love and worrying that this is all real, it seems to be the farthest from your mind now. The way you chatted so easily with Bianca as though the bond didn't bother you at all." This all came out with a sneer plastered to his face and for a second Garrett felt bad for being so rude until it dawned on him what this was all about.

Checking the corridor for a guard, surprisingly lacking one this time, and finding them to be alone, Garrett pushed Aro backwards hard until the elder's back met with the wall. Using his height to his advantage Garrett towered over him leaning down eyes locked with Aro's and he smirked.

"Oh, so you're jealous?" It was so stupid, he knew he shouldn't have said it but for a split second Aro looked hurt before rage snatched the expression from his face and he lifted his hands, planting them firmly to Garrett's chest, to push the taller vampire away. "That's what this is about, did you see her put her arm through mine as we walked, is that what has you in this mess?" It startled him how rough his voice sounded when he spoke again, he was enjoying this a little too much but he could blame it on the bond later if he needed to protect himself from Aro's personal guard.

It did feel nice, though, knowing Aro was affected by the bond as much as he was. He had no right to be so upset he was married!

"Don't pout like that," Garrett teased which only enraged Aro further and he pushed against Garrett again to move him from in front of him. "Do you need my attention to feel better?" Where this was all coming from was beyond him but damn if it didn't get what little blood there was in his system pumping like crazy as he toyed with Aro like this.

"I'll have you destroyed for this. Your bold behaviour shall be your undoing!" Aro's words seemed quieter now, and his attempts to remove Garrett from his personal space seemed feeble as though he had given up but had to keep up the appearance that he was incensed still.

"If you pipe down I'll be sure to reward you, the sooner you behave the sooner I can be off to speak with your wife. Remember, I have been summoned. Wouldn't she be displeased if you made me later than I already am to see her?" Garrett knew he was really pushing it now and with that thought in mind, he closed the space between them fully and pressed a hard kiss to Aro's lips. He felt the man beneath him surrender almost immediately and he returned it without hesitation a needy moan escaping Aro's throat as Garrett deepened the kiss.

Garrett had to force himself to move and break the kiss, as fun as it had been to toy with Aro he quickly realised that he'd enjoyed it far more than he would like to admit.

Moving back he untangled his hands from Aro's hair wondering when he had even moved to do such a thing in the space of 15 seconds. 

_ Don't look at him. You don't want to see his face… not after that.  _

With such a thought in mind, Garrett gives Aro a quick bow, as to keep up the pretence of teasing him, and headed off toward the library.

Sulpicia was going to have his head for this.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sulpicia and Garrett make a deal and form a shaky alliance, but Garrett knows he cannot be trusted. There is a revelation on Garrett's part and he is not too happy about it.

##  Chapter Eight 

_Red, red, drops upon my cuffs, Let me know this must be love_

He'd kissed him!

Why the- no, no it was fine. It was _fine_.

With such swirling thoughts plaguing him as he walked, Garrett considered invoking the wrath of Sulpicia and heading to his room instead of attending her 'meeting'. After all, she was likely just going to sit and eviscerate him with that barbed tongue of hers anyway, and while verbal sparring could be fun he doubted the match would be fair. As in, Sulpicia wouldn't let him speak or even defend himself.

Perhaps that assumption seemed unfair, but the Volturi seemed so underhand in everything they did. Was that fair to say when, so far, he had only gotten into a scuffle with a guard because of his own behaviour?

Against his better judgement, Garrett avoided the library and holed himself up in his room instead.

For the most part, he just lay face down on the bed ignoring every single sound he could manage, the only thing that seemed to get through to him was Bianca's heartbeat but it thumped rhythmically at a calm pace that hypnotised him until he closed his eyes. While he did not need to sleep it did feel good to lose consciousness for a short while, his mind was blank as he sank into the blind embrace of sleep.

It was hours later that he was rudely awakened with the most intense pain he had ever felt in his entire life. He rolled off the bed clutching at his stomach and chest hoping to abate the agony for a second. Prying his eyes open he was gifted with the scene of Sulpicia and Jane stood at the door to his room looking down at him as he writhed in pain. They seemed satisfied with his reaction and eventually, Sulpicia gently touched Jane on the shoulder and the pain stopped.

Shaking with such force, Garrett scrambled to his feet having to put effort into regaining his balance as he rose to his full height, he managed a withering look but the pain had ruined him. The look was wasted on them as both women stood looking up at him triumphantly.

Jane stepped aside allowing Sulpicia to enter the room and she approached him smiling sweetly, her head tilted slightly to the side as she stopped a meter before him.

Oh, he did not like this at all.

"I wonder, Garrett, why you would purposely disrespect the wife of your 'bond' mate so easily? Had he ordered you to come to me would you have run a fast as a beast that haunts the forest?" Silky. Her voice was dangerously silky and Garrett suppressed a shudder that tingled down his spine, this woman really knew how to terrify without much effort. It made sense that she and Aro had married they fit so well, unlike he did with the leader of the Volturi.

There were no words he could say to appease her and his tongue felt dry when he opened his mouth to respond. Closing his mouth again he averted his gaze from hers and let his eyes drift to the barred window the sky outside was darkening and he wondered how long he had been asleep?

"You're making it sound as though I decided of my own free will to bond with him." He found his voice but he made no attempt to look at her, he didn't want to see her face, Hell, he didn't even want her to be in his room but he couldn't exactly make her leave. This place was her home and he was just an unwanted guest, didn't matter if he had been invited by the leader, no one wanted him there. Leaving would be so easy, so great but he knew he couldn't, and Aro knew too.

Even if he set it up as an experiment, how far could he go before he felt the natural pull of the bond urging him to return to Aro's side, he was sure that he would get to Forks and be called right back to Volterra to be terrorised by the coven for daring to step foot in their home again.

"If there had been a choice I wouldn't have chosen this, are you out of your mind? You try to pull me to rank as though I am part of this coven as if I wanted to force my way into this dysfunctional super-powered family you have. It's crazy how personally you take this when I have nothing to do with it." Taking out his frustration on her would do no one any good. He just hoped that there weren't any guards in the corridor when he kissed Aro, though, that might have been why Jane was brought to accompany Sulpicia to his room.

"If it is so wretched to be here surely you should leave?"

_Yeah, that would be so easy if it were possible._ Garrett thought bitterly as he moved to face Sulpicia again this time offering her a more defeated look than earlier.

"If it was possible, I would. Wouldn't you prefer that I was no longer bonded to your husband before I vanished off?" Garrett gestured for her to take a seat on the sofa and only sat when she did, though he opted for the bed to leave space between them. 

Jane was dismissed, she hovered by the door for a short while but soon left when Garrett turned and smiled at her almost sarcastically before saying;

"Don't worry, she's perfectly safe. I want to leave here in one piece." 

Turning back to Sulpicia Garrett found her calm and able to radiate elegance even while sitting in such a casual setting. 

This woman had been faithful to her husband for, likely, a thousand years or more and here he was testing their love because the universe deemed it necessary for his soulmate to be Aro… It really wasn’t fair. 

Garrett wasn’t the kind of guy to go around stealing the partners of other people. He’d never been the steal your girl… or uh… husband kind of guy. It just wasn’t his style and he had Kate, didn’t he? 

It was the first time he’d thought about her since he’d gotten there. 

What had he said? He would follow her to the ends of the earth? Seemed so hollow now to use such words.

“There was… is... someone waiting for me back home. The second I saw her I was struck by everything that she was and her gift. She has a unique gift and, damn it, being with her… life would have been easy,” Garrett began, he had to tell Sulpicia this, he had to show her that he too was losing something from all of this. She wasn’t the only one grasping at something that seemed to slip through her fingers like the sands of an hourglass, each grain a second she lost with her beloved. 

“You have to help me, please.” Garrett had never begged for anything in his life but this time he forced his pride aside and slid from the bed to his knees. How forlorn did he have to be for Sulpicia to give in and set aside her anger and help him find a release from the bond? “We’re both on the same side, I don’t want to be here and I know you want my head mounted on a wall.” 

The desperation seemed to speak to her and for the first time since they met her expression softened to something akin to understanding. Rolling her eyes as though disgusted with his display she gestured for him to get to his feet. 

“Get up you fool. I should have known you would not have willingly thrown yourself into this nest of vipers, while you are not in any way refined, you are certainly not stupid enough to toss your life away like this.” A breakthrough but a hard-won one, Garrett stood all the while giving her a smile so bright she should have been glittering where she sat! 

“You’re damn right, and I would like to exit this nest before one of them strikes at me with their venom. Please tell me you have better contacts than Marcus…” This produced a genuine laugh from Sulpicia it was quiet and melodic and Garrett could see why Aro looked at her the way he did.

Jealousy wrapped around his heart as it throbbed with the very thought of Aro gazing lovingly across at his wife, she was his joy, he could see that. 

“The sooner we finish this the better. I can’t keep feeling like this…” Garrett mumbled dejectedly when Sulpicia pinned him with a look of curiosity he relented and explained almost immediately. “Seeing you with him hurts me, and I know it’s this damn fate mate stuff, but still hurts and I would like it to stop.” 

“Have you considered that you may actually be in love with my husband?” 

“I’m trying not to think about that.” His response may have been too quick and Sulpicia looked somewhat insulted that he would so vehemently admit his distaste for her husband. “You’re not supposed to want me to love him, please keep up, my lady. This is going to get real confusing otherwise.” 

She agreed with a slight nod of her head as she gracefully rose to her feet and made for the door, Garrett moved swiftly before her to pull it open and was gifted with a small smile of thanks. 

“I will look into this further for you, but please, while I do this, try not to get into any trouble. We’ve already had reports of you and your clashes with the guards.” 

“Stop having them trail my every move and we won’t have a problem, my lady.” 

Sulpicia gave him a bland look in response to his request, but after a moment of consideration she nodded, much to Jane's obvious dismay.

"Consider it done, however, one wrong move and I shall see to it that the lovely Jane is assigned to be your personal guard for the remainder of your stay here." Garrett winced at the thought. He was going to have to be more careful from here on out and a lot less impulsive, especially with Aro. 

Subconsciously he lifted his hand to his lips, he could still vividly remember the feeling of Aro pressing his lips to his. In too deep already and addicted to the thrill it had given him. 

"Right, sure, be a good boy. Got it." All too distracted by the memory his answer seemed dismissive and Sulpicia approached him again. The look in her eyes was hard and her expression one set with barely concealed irritation, she'd had enough of him.

"One wrong move." Was all she said as Jane appeared by her side smirking knowingly.

They did not wait for his reaction and suddenly the door slammed closed behind them leaving Garrett alone once again. Happy for the quiet and to be rid of his unwanted visitors, Garrett sat on the edge of the bed and scrubbed at his face with his hand as if trying to reinvigorate himself. All these people so intensely angry with him constantly trying to belittle him or intimidate him could really take it out of a man, and Garrett had to admit he was tired of it all now.

Of course, only one person kept him in the coven house.

"You're playing a dangerous game, Garrett." Was all he could mumble to himself as he let himself fall back onto the bed, he stared up at the ceiling for a long time letting his conversation with Sulpicia sink in. She was so intent on having him leave and at the time Garrett had wanted nothing more than to have her help to separate him from her husband.

Now that he had time with his own thoughts and she wasn't glaring at him from across the room hoping to vaporise him, he felt that he had to be honest with himself if he was going to survive his time there, even if it was just mentally.

There was the possibility that even without the bond Garrett was starting to feel something for Aro, he just couldn't be sure. Every part of him was consumed with the idea that he was being swayed by magic and that any emotions he had were fabricated by the universe.

But when he was with Aro the universe didn't exist. Only him.

Garrett sat bolt upright from the bed at the revelation. 

"Oh no, no, no, no..."


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garrett finds a friend in Bianca and she offers to take him into the city for a break. 
> 
> Things dont fully go to plan and he ends up having to explain his whole situation to her.

##  Chapter Nine

_ Your love is haunting me _

_ And all I want is more to set me free _

  
  


How many times would he have to deal with these intense feelings slamming into him when he least expected it?

Making the conscious decision to actually look into what was happening, Garrett left his room and headed back down to the main chamber where he had first met Aro and the others. The room was empty when he got there but the books Marcus had shown him remained stacked up on the table.

Crossing the room Garrett grabbed up the first book he saw and that he recognised, skimming the pages with disgust at himself he realised it had been the one Marcus had shown him originally and it was all in Latin, or at least, he thought it was Latin. Holding back from rolling his eyes he set it down and sought out another. Even if he found one he  _ could  _ read there was no certainty that he'd understand it.

Eventually, he came across a book that looked as though it could be helpful, as he picked it up the telltale heartbeat of Bianca caught his attention and as he turned to the door, book in hand, she entered the room. At first, she seemed grim as she stepped inside but finding only Garrett there her expression changed to one of joyful recognition and she headed toward him instantly.

"It's you skulking about. A guard mentioned in passing that someone went into the main chamber and I wondered if the leaders had wanted a meeting... but you just seem to be doing some 'light' reading." She gestured to the large and rather heavy tome Garrett had under his arm and he lifted it to show her what it was.

At once her expression became unreadable as she leaned forward and her gaze caught the title stamped in gold across the face of the book, her eyes flicked up to his face and for a moment he felt uncomfortable as she scrutinised him closely- in a split second she was stood to her full height again and laughing aloud at him.

"Fate? You're into that stuff? Do you like staring up at the night sky and wondering what the stars have in store for you too?" Her mocking, purely friendly, made Garrett feel a little better and he laughed along with her. He was unsure if he could really tell her anything even if she had said she knew what was going on between himself and Aro... she could have misunderstood and taken their situation to mean an open affair rather than some mystical interference in their lives.

Not that it would have been wrong to think it was an open affair, essentially, to those that didn't believe in magic or fate, it was at its bare bones just an affair. An arranged marriage style situation set up by a power so much grander than Garrett could even comprehend. Didn't mean he was going to agree with it, he was going to fight tooth and nail to regain his freedom.

"It's late, shouldn't you be asleep or something?" Garrett changed the subject quickly as he tucked the book back under his arm. Marcus wouldn't mind him borrowing it would he?

"Garrett it's 9pm! I'm not 10, I was going to head into the city if you want to get out of here and actually enjoy yourself for a while?" It was a welcome invitation giving Garrett the option to hunt and talk to someone that didn't want to kill him where he stood. While he certainly missed having Carlise to confide in and just speak to a friend to friend, Garrett found himself warming to Bianca easily even after she had unnerved him.

"Sounds great, let me put this book upstairs and I will meet you out in the square, alright?"

Their wander into the city was quiet and their conversation limited but the silence between them was comfortable. Being at ease around someone was a nice change of pace for him and he let the peace of it settle into his skin. 

They ended up at the same cafe Garrett had chosen to people watch in the first night he had arrived with Carlise. Bianca ordered coffee and took a seat outside in the warm night air cross from Garrett, who fidgeted with the spoon on her saucer until she smacked his hand away playfully.

"You have too much energy to just sit and talk, go hunt and come back when you're not so agitated." While it wasn't an order, Garrett behaved as though it was one and bowed to Bianca before vanishing off into the crowd.

Finding someone to feed on was easy enough, there were plenty of drunks milling around spouting nonsense. Once satisfied he headed back out into the street he had left Bianca on, his vision zeroed in on her sitting back in her seat, hands folded on her lap looking across at Aro who had taken his seat. The atmosphere around them seemed tense and he didn't hesitate to interrupt the conversation. He called out to Bianca as he crossed the street. Both she and Aro turned their heads to look at him instantly, Bianca looked relieved to see him and she waved him over clearly trying to appear casual.

"Sorry for leaving you for so long, lucky Aro was here to keep you company." Garrett gifted her with a warm smile but when he looked to the Volturi leader he scowled, it didn't phase Aro in the slightest as he rose to his feet, he fussed with his shirt cuffs for a moment before he spoke not bothering to look at either of them.

"It is good to see you're making friends here, Garrett. It will be a shame when you decide to leave us, we have come to think of you as part of our coven already." Garrett snarled at this but it was ignored by the elder vampire who said his goodbyes to Bianca and turned to leave. Bianca gestured Garrett to follow Aro with a sense of urgency to her actions- just what did she know about all of this?

Biding his time, he waited until they were in a less populated street before he grabbed Aro pulling him round to face him.

"What are you doing?!" Garrett gritted out from between his teeth, he felt his irritation rising as his hand tightened around Aro's upper arm.

They were face to face again and Garrett swallowed hard as Aro glared up at him, hadn't he just recently promised Sulpicia he would stay out of trouble, and hadn't he promised himself he would be less impulsive when it came to the very man he was being suddenly impulsive with  _ again?! _

"Everywhere I go you're there, were you assigned as my personal guard?"

"Unhand me!" Aro pried Garrett's hand away from his upper arm. "I am ensuring you do not play with forces beyond your understanding, which frankly, seems to be anything that does not involve American wars!" It was a weak insult but his words did elicit further interest from Garrett.

"What forces are you even- you know what, I don't care. Stay away from me and Bianca."

The cold look he received chilled Garrett and he realised he had definitely overstepped his bounds on this one. Strangely, this worried him but more in the sense that he had upset the man more than worry he might be punished. They stood in silence for a moment and Aro took this chance to close the space between them and press a kiss to Garrett's cheek.

"Your expression, while you seem so aggressive, is sweet, it is easy to adore you, I can see that now. Even if this bond that brings us together breaks, I will remember these clandestine moments you are so insistent we share, and think of them fondly. Do not play with fate, she is a fickle mistress, as I am sure you are now glaringly aware of." He left Garrett after that standing stunned from their interaction but he did not look back as he vanished into the crowd.

Returning to Bianca, Garrett retook his seat across from her and ran a hand through his hair trying to sort through his emotions. Rather than taking any real time to fix anything he just haphazardly threw his thoughts into one compartment shut the lid and locked it. 

That would do it. 

"Alright, so you said you knew what was going on between myself and Aro. Just explain to me what you think you know and I will fill in the gaps." Leaning back in his seat he watched as Bianca's eyes light up and she leans over the table as though trying to comfort Garrett but moves back when she sees how uncomfortable he had been since returning from his interaction with Aro.

"You two are together, right?" It was too simple and Garrett laughed aloud drawing curious glances from the other coffee shop patrons that sat around them. "Is that not the long and short of it?" She asks smiling clearly understanding she was wrong.

"Well, no, not at all. We're not together but Hell the universe wants us to be. No one else does but... ah, we'll get into that later. So, you know the Cullen family, right?" He began explaining knowing it was going to be a long night, but he felt he could trust Bianca and God if he didn't need more friends and allies around at the minute.

Garrett spent at least an hour explaining Alice and her premonition and everything that happened after that, even the kiss earlier that day and the one Aro pressed to his cheek that night, right up until the moment he sat down to explain to her the situation. 

To say she looked a little overwhelmed would be an understatement, though Garrett couldn't think why as she was not involved at all. However, she recovered from her surprise in record time and then could only look at him confused as all get out. 

"Ah, Garrett, as much as you do not want to hear this… I think you need someone on the outside looking in to say it. You're falling in love with Aro." Bianca rolled her eyes as he looked at her affronted by such a statement. "Don't give me that look. If you really thought this was all 'hocus pocus' nonsense you wouldn't still be here. You would not have teased him and you really wouldn't have kissed him." Bianca sat back in her seat and took a sip of coffee, Garrett assumed by her grimace that it was now cold and hailed a waiter over to order her another. 

"Look, you have obviously spent too much time in the presence of that wacky coven because everything you just said was crazy." It wasn't. He was just completely terrified because love was not something he really subscribed to. That was for people like Carlisle and such, not for him and not with a married man. 

"Plus, I think Aro likes you too, otherwise that first kiss in the hallway would have been your last kiss and your last anything. You can't do as you please with him, Aro is like vampire royalty and he expects the highest of respect from all those that seek him out. 

Face it, you and Aro are having an affair, emotional and so far on the brink of physical." 

Hearing it from Bianca, someone he found he could trust even after 2 days, didn't make it any easier to accept. 

Garrett looked away from her and out into the street. What if the bond did nothing and his feelings were his own? What if the bond was just a guideline that Aro was his soulmate and they  _ could _ be together but it was not mandatory?

What if the world didn’t end when they parted like they assumed it would?

If that was the case he had to leave, he had to find the first flight back to Forks and take some time to get lost in the vastness of America. 

It was time to forget Aro and move on. 

"Before anything gets too deep I should leave, Bianca. If I can avoid falling further I will. It isn't fair on his wife and it isn't fair on me… I want to love without fear of losing my head." A dry laugh escaped him and his eyes widen in shock when he hears the pain in his own words. 

He didn't want to let this go… 

But he knew he had to. 


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leaving without a goodbye is easy. Getting home too, but anything more than that seems a struggle...

##  Chapter Ten

_ No one but you could ever fill my night _

_ Be the sunlight in my every day _

  
  


The cafe was emptying slowly, the hour was getting late and yet Bianca just sat and looked back at Garrett like he had grown two heads.

“Are you sure about this because you don’t sound sure.” She paid for her coffee and they both stood to leave.

Once out on the street, Bianca spoke again on how she wasn’t convinced he wanted to leave, and Garrett allowed her to continue even if he didn’t want to hear it. She mentioned the fate thing several times as though it would change his mind, but it only made him feel antsy and the urge to leave grew stronger.

“No one will stop you from leaving, not even Aro. Even though he will want to, I think. Are you sure this is what you want, Garrett, because ever since you told me you want to leave you’ve looked sick.” Her concern was sweet but misplaced, but he didn’t want to tell her that the look on his face was due to the desperation to exit Volterra as soon as he could. Instead, they walked in silence for a short while until Garrett could formulate a response that didn’t sound weak to his ears or Bianca’s, he owed her that much at least.

“It would be for the greater good and, to answer your question, I feel fine, I just keep thinking how dramatic this all was for no reason at all. All of this could have been avoided if I had just thought about it logically from the beginning.” He felt irritated that he had allowed this whole thing to get under his skin and had involved far too many people and put himself in danger for something he could have just ignored.

Beside him, Bianca clicked her tongue as if to admonish him.

“Hmmm, I don’t think this could have been avoided and, honestly, you leaving Volterra won’t change much about it now. I mean, from what you’ve said… it sounds like you and Aro have bonded more than you’ve both realised.” She shrugged when she looked at Garrett and gave him a ‘What do I know?’ expression.

The conversation ended as they approached the dark square of the clock tower, there was no one else around as they crossed the vast empty space, even as they pushed open the door and entered the coven house.

For a moment they merely stood in the foyer in awkward silence, then, to Garret’s surprise, Bianca embraced him tightly. Her warmth was incredibly distracting and bewildering but he managed to wrap his arms around her to return the gesture.

“I won’t try to change your mind, just know I’ll miss you. In the very short time we’ve known each other you have spoken to me more than any of the coven members and you haven’t asked me to send any letters!” She laughed at her own words and finally broke their embrace stepping back so she could look up at him properly.

“When do you think you’ll be leaving?” It had only been a matter of time before she had asked but Garrett still didn’t have an answer except that he really wanted to already be gone.

It would just be too sudden for him to walk out of the door now, he had to speak to Sulpicia and try to convince her that the bond didn’t really mean anything and he didn’t hold any power over Aro and Aro held none over him.

“Haven’t thought about it yet, soon though. I don’t see any point in sticking around now. Still can’t help but feel I’ve wasted my time here, you know?” He watched as Bianca nodded sympathetically even though he could tell she wanted to argue. Garrett was thankful that she remained silent and they parted ways for the night.

Back in his room, he picked up the book that he’d tossed onto the bed earlier that evening. The gold lettering was faded but he could clearly see the title was ‘Mythos’.

Having no idea what the book was he cracked open the tome. The first page explained that it was a book of Greek myths collected over time and compiled into a book.

Whatever stories were inside were likely wildly fantastical and wholly unhelpful to Garrett but he thumbed through the pages anyway.

Several times he came across the word fate but it had no relevance to his situation until he landed on a chapter titled 'Fate or Destiny?'. This looked more like the information he might need, and hadn't he heard somewhere that most lies have a kernel of truth to them?

Wouldn't that mean all stories had some origin of reality?

A fate spinner, Fate for short or the Moirai from the Ancient Greeks were 3 incarnations of destiny mostly depicted as women.

They controlled the threads of life for every mortal.

Garrett set the book down. That didn't help much seeing as he was dead, and only recently did he consider all this stuff could possibly bear considering in reality related to his situation.

If 'The Fates' existed he would have genuinely considered tracking them down to demand a rewrite of his future. For his entire life, Garrett believed he had dictated his own future- but apparently, that had been a ridiculous notion and now the universe wanted to show him just how wrong he was!

The book lay discarded on the bed again, it had not offered all that much insight but there was no harm done, plus he got to waste 5 minutes of his time learning something new.

Carlisle would be proud.

Would it be worth mentioning this to Sulpicia?

Sneaking away in the dead of night to return to the US seemed attractive idea, might rock the boat a bit but surely his sudden departure would be more a cause for celebration?

There was no point thinking about it further, Garrett knew the longer he pondered his departure the less likely he was to leave.

With that in mind he got to his feet and left his room for the last time.

Walking out of the city gave Garrett time to think but all he managed to work out was that he definitely was a scoundrel for not saying goodbye to Bianca. His other thought being that so far there was no pull for him to return to Aro even as he crossed the city line and out onto the road toward Florence.

He took a train from Florence to Rome and was in the city by early morning as businesses began opening, and eager tourists stepped out onto the streets awaiting the day's adventures.

Due to flights and the weather Garrett ended up spending a few days in Rome hiding out in a cheap hotel under a fake name. So far he hadn't seen anyone he recognised but that did not mean there may not be anyone looking for him.

There were a few hours to kill before he had to get to the airport and so Garrett took this time to hunt through the darkened streets.

Once or twice he felt his skin prickle and the unbearable unease of being watched crawled over his skin. No one approached him and after a moment the feeling usually faded, but it left him unnerved regardless.

That sensation of being watched did not leave him even as he boarded a plane. All would be well for a few hours and suddenly he would find himself looking over his shoulder as his skin prickled again. Nervously he would watch people walk by his seat eyeing them wondering if he knew them, he never did and they seemed not to notice him watching them intently.

Spooked. Volterra had left him spooked to the core and the further away he got the better he would feel he imagined.

But that was not the case.

By the time the plane lands in Seattle, Garrett's skin is crawling to the point that he could have torn it from his body and tossed it aside just to feel some sort of relief.The world feels as though it has moved an inch to the right and he has to put a little bit of effort into walking until he can get out on the road.

It was early evening, people were still lazing around in the sun outside bars and cafes laughing and smoking. Their leisure put Garrett at ease but his skin still tingled and he felt as though the cold dread in his chest had taken up a permanent reside. Dread he could deal with, who hadn't experienced a little dread before? People had the feeling of anxiety from flying alone, maybe he wasn't so used to that?

That would be his excuse until he could think of something better. After all, he needed something to tell Carlise if he asked him why we he likely looked on the brink of a breakdown.

Things took a turn for the worst as he headed out of the city and towards Forks. That was a whole 134 miles worth of thinking time and by the time he started to see areas he recognised his insides felt how TV static looked.

Emmett was the one to find him, thanks to Jacob and Edward passing the message along, and by the look on his face Garrett knew he didn't look all too chipper outwardly as well as inwardly. The fact Emmett had not quite managed to stop himself from recoiling with shock and slight disgust gave a lot away, and fresh dread set in settling on top of the solid icy mound already in the pit of his stomach. What had happened between him leaving Volterra and stepping foot back in Forks that had even the strongest and fearless of vampires anxious to approach him?

"Don't tell Esme or Carlisle I said this, but Garrett you look like shit." His brow was furrowed as he studied him intently, Garrett managed a huffed laugh but it was more to hide his sincere dislike of being watched so intently, after his travels back to the US he never wanted to see another set of eyes on him again. The involuntary shiver from the thought of eyes on him ran through him violently giving him the appearance of being cold and it moved Emmett into action leading him back to the Cullen household.

Carlisle was already heading down the steps to greet him, his easy smile dropped the second he saw Garrett and his pace quickened until they stood before one another, Emmett left them both, though Garrett knew he was rushing in to tell the others what he had seen. Whatever it was must have been awful because Carlisle looked sorrowful and confused at the sight of his friend. Slowly the doctor reached out and took Garrett's hand and that was when he noticed it.

Snatching his hand from his friend Garrett drew it close to his face and stared wide eyed.

He was paper white, veins black and stark against the pale, it was as though any colour had been leached out no pigment resided in his skin aside from the dark veins, they looked like ink pumping through his body.

What was this?

"What happened to you?" The excuse he'd had prepared seemed ridiculous now and when he went to speak only a dull buzz was emitted from between his lips, clearing his throat he tried again and finally his voice croaked out something that sounded vaguely like his voice.

"I wasn't like this in Volterra or when I landed in Seattle. I... Carlisle, am I dying?" Any other time it would have been a ridiculous notion, then again, he had never really looked like  _ this  _ ...whatever this was. Was the feeling of thousands of pins sticking his insides caused by something in Volterra, a vampiric gift? When he looked up from his hand the rest of the Cullen family were stood not far behind Carlisle all looking down at him in abstract horror at what he had become.

"Your eyes..." Alice had spoken but Garrett could barely hear her over the buzzing sound coming from his mouth as it hung open in shock still. Closing his mouth the sound stopped and he felt some ease return to him, though his senses still felt dulled and when he was coaxed inside his limbs grew stiff and he struggled to hold himself up, in the end he was helped in side by Jasper and Alice. While he wanted to say he was thankful he felt true revolution at the idea of ever opening his mouth again.

"Take him upstairs to a room with a bed. Get him comfortable, I will be right up." The order had come from Esme rather than Carlisle who merely nodded in agreement with his wife. Garrett was unable to argue and was helped up the stairs to a room at the back of the house, the window faced the forest, the tall lines of the tree trunks in front of the window reminded him of the bars at the window of the coven house in Volterra. 

There was a pang of regret at the memory of the place and Garrett rolled onto his side to stare at the window as though hoping it would force the feeling from him if he overloaded his mind with the image.

It was a long time before he closed his eyes, but when he did there was nothing but a void before him and it took everything in him not to dive right into it in search of peace.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garrett isn't faring all too well in the Cullen household. As his condition grows worse he considers returning to Volterra just once more in hopes it may fix him. 
> 
> Strange letters are delivered to the Cullen's addressed to Garrett only.

##  Chapter Eleven

_ Kiss your lover with that filthy mouth _

_ You fucking monster _

  
  


The sound of birds singing filled his ears and when his eyes flicked open the world was grey. Sitting up, Garrett rubbed his eyes hoping he was just running a bit slow after being fully asleep again for the second time in a matter of days.

Even after a moment of blinking rapidly the colour of the world did not return and he felt suffocated by it. Throwing the sheets off him, someone had carefully tucked him into the bed while he was sleeping, Garrett struggled to his feet and, rather ungracefully, fell in a heap on the floor. His limbs felt like they had been carved from wood and everything about him felt ungainly. His stark white hand had him pause from trying to get up, and he stared at it forgetting everything as he watched the black veins beneath his skin throb though he felt nothing but the static inside him buzzing and vibrating almost angrily.

A shadow loomed over him, and when Garrett finally tore his eyes from the sight of own hand he glanced up finding Esme and Carlisle in the doorway looking down at him. Neither seemed eager to move toward him and he assumed his condition, whatever it was, had gotten worse. With great effort, Garrett pulled himself to his feet using the bedframe for help, once at his full height he opened his mouth and the buzzing came out as a dull roar.

Clamping a hand over his mouth Garrett let out a shocked cry that sounded more like the creaking of a great oak in a vicious wind. His thoughts were thrashing branches and he lurched forward his movements jerky as though navigating roots rather than legs and feet.

"Show me... show... me." The demand near drowned out from the constant buzz that erupted each time he parted his lips. what the fuck was happening to him? "I need... to... see."

Esme nodded and hurried from the room returning moments later with a hand mirror which she held up to his face for him. Black eyes, nothing but the void looked back, the whites and the irises of his eyes swallowed up by an unending abyss and now Garrett understood why Emmett had recoiled in such a way- his skin looked so white and blank- he could only describe it as something beyond alabaster and close to terrifying.

"We're trying to work out what is happening to you. Alice said it could be the bond but we're not sure what that means. I've sent word to Aro we must know if he is suffering this same fate. If so we have at least an idea of the cause." Carlisle's usual demeanour was long gone and his words were tinged with a grim determination that Garrett hadn't heard from him before. There was a flutter of hope inside amongst the ferocious pins that pricked at him still, the static felt more like thousands of tiny open wounds being constantly aggravated. The sting was a reminder of something.

Garrett refused to think what.

"You need to rest. Please, get back into bed."

Esme and Carlisle shared a look but Garrett's brain was too full of fog and the constant buzzing to be able to decipher it.

They whispered back and forth and Garrett was keenly aware that he could not make out a single word they said. It was apparent they had realised this too.

For several days Garrett struggled to move from the room he had been given. He'd sleep for hours at a time and it began to feel like the lack of conscious thought sleep brought was the freest he'd feel.

Often his mind would drift as he stared up at the ceiling the subject matter mostly Aro even when he tried to avoid such thoughts.

_ Is he alright?  _ It was the only coherent thought he could manage after being awake for too long, the rest of the time he spent conscious his mind could only produce flashing images of scenes he could not recall ever happening. Or at least the memories he could remember didn't seem to fit with what he could see.

When he tried to explain this to Carlisle the doctor mentioned that it was likely his brain trying to make sense of everything happening inside him.

Alice said it was visions like hers.

He didn't agree with either idea and so stopped mentioning it, they didn't understand and he didn't have the kind of articulate mind to explain in a way that they might.

That and his voice was slowly leaving him. Speaking took so much effort and it wasn't worth it unless Carlisle was asking him medical questions.

"Did you feed on anyone strange?" Was one of the questions and Garrett managed, though it took a great amount of energy, to scoff at this.

It was on such an occasion wherein Carlisle sat questioning his friend that Jasper entered the room holding an envelope. They all knew where it had come from and Carlisle moved to take it but Jasper resisted for a moment.

"It's for him," He'd said quietly and moved past Carlisle to hand the letter to Garrett who struggled to open it. When he managed he stared at the card for a long while.

"What does it say?" He couldn't say who had asked, his mind could scarcely process anything but the words in front of him.

The card itself was small, but the stock was thick and expensive and felt almost warm as though it had laid out in the sun for a few moments before it had been brought to him.

The words delicately written out in black were simple yet they managed to fill Garrett with such a sense of foreboding.

After a moment Carlisle gently tugged the card from between Garrett's fingers and turned it over to read aloud.

"Come home. Hmm, what does that mean?" The question was quiet and then he spoke again, "This handwriting does not belong to Aro or the others. Someone wants you back in Volterra… but wh-" He cut off his own sentence as Alice came into the room clutching several envelopes identical to the one Garrett had already opened.

"These came for Garrett." Her tone indicating that she was aware of their origin. When she moved to hand them to Garrett Jasper stopped her and he took one of the letters and tore it open.

"Come home." He read then tossed it aside and reached for another. "Come home." He repeated though it was more a murmur, beside him Alice was in the process of opening one.

"It just says 'Come Home' like the others." She explained turning it round to show them, her eyes did not move to Garrett and he was glad for it.

"You've had no visions of this?" Carlisle crossed the room and took the envelopes from her opening them all. Alice shook her head, her expression one of guilt as though it was her burden alone to tell the family of any future events and with this she had failed.

"Maybe they aren't from the Volturi?" Jasper ventured, "This kind of stuff is easy to find and duplicate."He slung an arm around Alice trying to comfort her.

"They are from Volterra," Garrett rasped, his throat felt dry as though he hadn't spoken in years, he moved to get out of bed but Carlisle held out his hand to stall his movements and shook his head. Garrett managed to roll his eyes to show his displeasure. "They are from Volterra, I know they are." Everyone in the room looked at him expectantly, waiting on his further explanation. It was a hunch nothing more and those cards called to him, something in him tried to reach out for something tangible but came up short.

The distance was the issue.

How long had it been since he left that city and how much worse had his condition gotten since he arrived in Forks?

It was obvious there was a connection to his actions and the state he was in, but the letters were something else. The only person who had mentioned the coven being his home was Aro, and he hadn't actually said it directly, only that he considered him part of the coven... it wasn't really the same but it was the only thing he could think of.

There was nothing for it, he needed to return even if Sulpicia met him at the gates and tore off his head. The very thought of it made him grin, and the three awaiting his response flinched at the horror of seeing his cracked skin flake away from his face. He felt his cheeks splinter like wood snapping as the muscles in his face froze leaving his smile grotesque and he didn't stop even as Alice and Jasper hurriedly left the room. The buzzing escaping from between his teeth grew louder and it vibrated through him violently. Garrett felt his limbs stiffen to the point that moving his face to a more neutral expression was difficult to near impossible.

What horror was he becoming?

He forced his head up, his face raised to look at his friend, Carlisle backed out of the room calling for Esme and the others, his eyes never leaving Garrett's as though he feared the man might freeze completely should he even blink.

"Get the plane ready, I have to return to Volterra. If we don't go back I fear Garrett will not last long." Esme wrapped an arm around her husband and leaned up to press a kiss to his lips silently saying goodbye, She understood, she had always understood.

Garrett watched the scene in various shades of grey and a throb of envy pulsed through him at the sight of the pair stood at the door. If he could have turned away he would have, he didn't hurt but he felt constantly sapped of energy battling through movement with joints that seemed to have solidified in place. His heart ached with something, something he had no knowledge of and no experience to put a name to it.

How did someone describe the loss of something that had never been in their possession?

_ Longing _ .

Esme had left them both alone now, her concerned expression lost on Garrett as he closed his eyes. He tried to think through the deafening buzz that seemed to drone on and on inside him without end.

_ Come home. _

_ Come home. _

_ Come home. _

But home was nowhere... He belonged nowhere now, the world was his garden and he had always wandered it aimlessly with no true direction, and that had worked well for him for over 200 years! Then he had met Kate and the idea of having somewhere to stay, a place where he could return to and be greeted warmly... it had started a fire in him that hadn't dampened since. He did not yearn to belong but he did want to be wanted.

Who didn't want such a thing?

Was that why the bond had intrigued him so much? Had he feigned wanting to sever the bond to the point he believed himself, yet everyone looking from the outside in could see him clearly deny something he wanted so very dearly?

"Come on, let me help you up. We leave for Rome now and should be there early tomorrow morning. I have alerted the Volturi but whether they respond is another matter. We sent a letter to Aro days ago but have no reply. Whatever is in Volterra wants you back there and it may have something to do with what is happening with you." Garrett was starting to miss his friend's sunny smile and easy disposition, since his own arrival back at the Cullen household Carlisle had only seemed grim and driven to distraction by whatever it was that ailed Garrett.

As though in the blink of an eye they were in the air. He had no memory of the drive to the airport or even getting on the plane and it taking off. Yet when he when opened his eyes and looked out of the window the world below him was dark save for the bright specks of the lights from the cities scattered across the land. It was too dark to guess where they were now. To his surprise, he found he could turn with relative ease as he moved around to seek out his friend.

He stilled himself for a moment before looking to his hand and finding the paleness of his skin was receding, as far as he could tell, and he was starting to look marginally human again, well... - his theory had been right. The distance from Volterra had been the reason he had started to seize up. While his limbs were still stiff and he could only lurch forward gracelessly he found he could, with some effort, haul himself out of his seat to go in search of Carlisle.

The world was still in grey and Garrett avoided any reflective surfaces as he shuffled awkwardly down towards the seating area to the front of the plane. He took a seat beside his friend. 

Carlise looked relieved to see Garrett up and about, if not a little concerned that he was not still resting. He greeted the man with a smile though his face still felt tight and the sound of splintering wood and the dull buzzing, though quieter than before, made itself known to him. Taking a seat next to the doctor he was given a smile in return for his.

"You're looking better, I'm glad to see that." They were sitting at a table, Carlise had a book open in front of him and he pushed it towards Garrett intending for him to read it. "I found this while you were sleeping. It doesn't explain why it happened or how but it does explain what is it..." He trailed off allowing Garrett to focus on the written word in front of him, fully aware that Garrett would struggle due to his affliction regardless of the rapid pace it was receding.

"Petrification?" Everything that had happened made sense, though the buzzing inside him like thousands upon thousands of hornets was still unexplained, at least he knew. Though, truthfully, it offered no comfort to him, not a single bit. He had been slowly turning into wood only to turn into stone!

What the ever-loving-

"Ah, we're about to make our descent. Rome awaits below and then on to Volterra. I had made plans to only travel with you at night, I assume, due to your appearance, you would agree?"

His response was merely to nod. That had answered his unspoken question about whether his face was day ready. Clearly, it was not.

Anticipation had overtaken any other emotion, glancing out of the window Garrett scanned the world below again and he wondered how Aro faired.

Had he too suffered the same ills as he?

If he returned to Volterra and saw Aro suffer as he had he was unsure what he would do. Something in him broke and he gripped the arms of his chair with stiff fingers a frown creasing his brow. 

Had this bond cemented the coven house as his home? 


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so to Volterra they return.
> 
> Garrett finally accepts that his feelings for Aro are unavoidable and makes a decision.

##  Chapter Twelve

_ Salt and shame upon my tongue _

  
  


The first thing Garrett did, once out in the streets of Rome, was hunt.

Never, since being a newborn, had he felt so fiercely hungry but he put that down to the amount of energy his body was using as he slowly regenerated. He had full movement again and slowly colour seeped back into his world.

The biggest fix would be his face where the skin had flaked off and the muscles had splintered, the more he drank the fleshier his face felt. It slowly knit together repairing itself but it would take more time than it would blood to heal himself fully.

Avoiding mirrors was still on the cards, and Carlisle joked that he had never seen him behave so vainly, and was he worried it would disgust someone else or himself?

Eventually, they could delay their visit to the Volturi city no longer and Garrett had to travel under the cover of night as his face still healed.

Thankfully, they had many places to hide during the daylight hours and Garrett took this time to think on the letters that had been sent to him.

It had been so easy to return to Italy when he believed he was dying, now, as the days passed by and his strength and mobility returned to him the indecision and apprehension returned tenfold. Recalling how easy it was to leave the first time was the only thing keeping him on track to Volterra.

That and Carlisle eyed him like a hawk each time he moved even an inch. There was no chance he was slipping away unnoticed while the doctor played detective and guard.

During the day both of them remained inside, the sun was too bright for even Carlisle to venture out. Though he confided to Garrett, there was nothing out there that interested him. The city had been more interesting to him when he was younger but now his taste for exploration had dulled and all he wished for was a quiet life with his family. 

"No chance of that while I'm around, " Garrett had replied grinning, "I am sorry to have dragged you into this, you're the only one I can trust. You didn't have to help but you did. I'm grateful for that." It was the first time they had actually spoken about the situation like this. Garrett hadn't asked for his help but Carlisle had jumped into action and offered his support every step of the way, Garrett hadn't had that kind of support before.

"I admit that this is more complicated than I had ever imagined, but I was worried that your dealings with Aro would lead to your demise. One way or another, but thankfully it has been avoided so far."

"Yeah, with your help."

"You have a habit of throwing your fists first and then asking questions, in this case, you needed to be more delicate and so I was there to speak on your behalf, which did no good because you and Aro were still at odds with one another." Carlise sat back in his seat his sunny smile had returned and he didn't look as tense as he had back in Forks. Garrett knew he had placed a lot of stress on his shoulders and when he could he would repay Carlisle in any way that he could to show his appreciation.

The mention of Aro made his stomach flip and his heart fluttered, he grimaced sourly at how his body gave his feelings away so easily. There was no doubt in his mind now that he did genuinely have feelings for Aro, he was falling in love and it really pissed him off. It had been easy to deny them at first, and with everyone knowing about the bond he had been able to pass it off as something he could not control... He still couldn't but even after being apart from the Volturi leader he had felt an acute sense of loss knowing he would turn a corner and there would be no chance he would see him.

He didn't like it.

"Hey, Carlise," The gentleness of Garrett's voice caused Carlisle mild concern. "I know I fought it and tried to scream it at the top of my lungs like a war cry, but I love Aro. If I have a chance to change that I will but if not I want to be with him." Saying out loud like that felt so strange and the words didn't seem to fit well in his mouth but he had said it and his insides didn't feel so constricted as though the words had been something physical he had had to expel.

"Oh, I know. He loves you too. It is easy to see even when you're not near him. Every time you enter a room you look for him as though he is supposed to be at your side constantly." Having his own feelings laid out like this before him by his best friend was an unexpected turn of events. But at least Carlisle seemed to understand it rather than recoil at the very idea that his friend loved someone Edward had once described as a comic book villain.

"Once we're in Volterra, if you decide you still want to break the bond and free yourself of this fate, I will help you, if you don't then... You might need a lot of allies because Sulpicia will murder you." It seemed both their thoughts drifted to Jane and they shared a shudder of discomfort, though she was not the only threat in the Volturi coven.

Dying didn't seem all that bad when he compared it to what they would do to him before they killed him in the coven house.

"It is easier to break the bond, I think. Do we really want an all-out war, haven't we just narrowly avoided one already this year?" The dust had barely settled on that little problem, thankfully Alice had been there at the last minute to step in and save the day. This time there was no help from her, this was something that went beyond her visions.

"I can't help but feel helpless, though. I'm primed for a fight but I don't even know what I am up against. Fighting the Volturi, at least we knew what they were and their gifts. A bond is something you can't touch physically as far as I know. Do we have to break into Heaven and fight God?"

"You don't believe in God." Carlisle pointed out blandly, Garrett waved that statement away giving his friend an expression of ' _ I know that' _ which was received with a smile.

When night fell they made a start on their travels to Volterra, for the most part, the drive up was quiet, both men spent their time with their own thoughts. The silence only broken when they approached the city, Carlisle drove through the dark streets with ease until they reached a hotel. Garrett remained in the car even after the engine had been shut off and his friend had exited- his eyes were staring out into the dark and he felt that pull inside him that urged him to find Aro.

Was there any point in him wasting time checking into a hotel when the entire coven knew he was on his way?

They could easily find the place he was staying and kill him in that tiny room, why not just go up and face them off in the main chamber?

He hadn't wanted to ask Carlisle why they were staying in some little hotel instead of going right up to them. Maybe it was only his own urgency that had wanted him to leave the car and head up there. There was no reason for him to do so, they had all the time in the world really. His car door was pulled open and his shoulder was shaken to pull him from his thoughts.

"Come inside, they know we're here. I told them we would be staying in a hotel. Until our presence is acknowledged I don't think it would do well for us to just show up. Wait for an invitation, then we will be safe."

It made sense seeing as the last time Garrett had visited he had been invited. Regardless of how unwelcome he had felt it was still only a visit by invitation and he had been relatively safe within their walls. This time he would try not to push tensions further but he already knew that something would go awry, after all, he'd had no intention of returning to Volterra again and Sulpicia had probably assumed that too. So for him to show up again would not go down all too well.

All he wanted was to wander listlessly around the city, however, that was a no go and Carlisle offered to play cards with him instead. After several rounds of being completely obliterated Garrett gave up and groused about how it was better for them to just read or something.

"You're a sore loser, perhaps you and Aro are more alike than you cared to imagine."  _ Ouch _ . Mentioning Aro had clearly gotten him out of his mood because Garrett found himself sitting up slightly with a thousand questions on his tongue.

"What does he like?" The question slipped out before Garrett could stop it but Carlisle didn't really seem to mind and he sat with a thoughtful expression for a moment before answering.

"The arts. You know, theatre, literature, fine art... he used to paint but I am not sure if he kept that up. Most nights he prefers to sit and read, they have an extensive library and he makes good use of it." They did not seem to have much in common, while Garrett enjoyed reading from time to time he couldn't spend night after night just scouring the written word. Wrinkling his nose he gestures for his friend to continue.

"He enjoys a good tragedy, though his wicked smile can put you off asking about the story because of it. Oh, don't tell him I told you this but..." He leans in over the table his voice a whisper as if lowering his voice even mattered. "He gets a bit teary over romantic plays or novels. Not sure why, unless he sees himself and his wife in the roles of the stories he reads. I sincerely doubt it but it is the only excuse I can come up with." He shrugs and leans back into his seat he's smiling still and Garrett's spirits are, somewhat, lifted at the sight of it.

"We're nothing alike."

"Well, you don't know that. You're both lousy at cards, maybe if you played with him and he won you could score points on that." Garrett threw a cushion at Carlisle who dodged it with ease and it landed with a soft  _ whump _ on the beds behind them. "Easy now, no need to be so testy. Anyway, who said you two would end up together, you don't want that do you?"

"Part of me does, but the part that does not is larger and more demanding that I break the bond." Garrett knew Carlisle was not convinced of this but had the grace to remain silent on the subject and instead he reshuffled the deck of cards that were still on the table and dealt them out again.

"I am sure your ego can handle another round, yes?"

Midway through their game of cards, there was a knock on the door and Garrett got to his feet, still relishing being able to move freely again, and pulled the door open. The owner of the hotel, who had checked them in, handed over a familiar white envelope before nodding to them and leaving.

There was no way he could hide his intrigue and when he glanced to Carlisle the man only nodded for him to open the missive.

Closing the door behind him, Garrett remained standing as he tore open the letter and pulled out the card.

_ We await your arrival. _

_ S. _

"We await your arrival. It's from Sulpicia. I believe this is the extent of our invitation." He joked, he dropped the card on the table in front of Carlisle before retaking his seat to continue their game of cards. When Carlisle did not resume the game he moved to speak but as he did his friend slowly turned over the card and there in different handwriting were the words 'Come home' written over and over filling the small card from edge to edge.

"It is not only Sulpicia that seems to be waiting for you.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garrett is trying to hold onto the last scraps of his sanity when he finds a room full of threads, and more so when he tries to show Carlisle. 
> 
> He is reunited with Bianca and receives a tongue lashing from Sulpicia, but what else is new? 
> 
> Things go awry and Garrett isn't sure how he will survive this.

##  Chapter Thirteen

_ A rope in hand for your other man to hang from a tree _

“This is starting to play out like a horror flick, are we gonna look up from the card and see it written over all the walls?” Not wanting to seem afraid Garrett looked up and thankfully the walls were still white and clean as they had been upon arrival.

"Do you think this is a trap?" The suggestion had crossed his mind earlier but, while he believed the Volturi underhand, this was too ominous for them, they had a little more flair than this.

"No, I don't. I don't think the writing was on the card until I opened it." It spoke of magic and Garrett felt his skin prickle oddly at the thought, just because he had come around to the idea of fate didn't mean he would suddenly start believing in magic, it was probably just invisible ink or something.

A practical joke of sorts.

He snorted at his own idiocy. Not everything could be explained away so easily, and who was he to say it wasn't magic?

Grabbing his jacket from the back of the chair he pulled it on and gestured for Carlisle to follow him out into the street. They were expected so now it was safe to go out and the first thing he wanted to do was hunt. The gaps in his cheeks had not yet healed and while he did not care much for the opinions of others he did not like the idea of Aro seeing him... broken?

"You have further to go out to hunt than I do, but we might as well go out while we can and then head up the coven house. Can't keep Lady Suplicia waiting, believe me, she does not like it at all." The memory of Jane waking him up the way she did would haunt him for a couple of months he was sure. While he didn't care much for the coven he didn't want to cause ructions which would block him from fixing anything and letting him leave with his life.

They stood in the square outside of the coven house, the sun would come up soon and then there would be tourists and Garrett wanted to avoid being around humans in the daylight hours, he'd checked his face in the car side mirror and his face hadn't gotten any better.

"Here goes nothing."

The foyer was empty, Garrett wasn't sure why he had expected Bianca to be there, it was the early hours of the morning. He sincerely hoped she was still alive and sleeping somewhere safe maybe with some kind of anti-vampire device over her door to protect her. Carlisle walked past him and further into the building he called out a quick hello but there was no response.

"They're probably in the main chamber, let us head down there first?" Garrett agreed and followed his friend down the corridor without speaking, something felt off with the place, like they had stepped into an alternate universe when they had come in.

As they walked Garrett found himself curious of a door that stood slightly ajar close to the main chamber. Without alerting Carlisle he stopped and peered inside, he had hoped there would be someone he could talk to, ask them what was going on and why the place seemed so quiet and empty. What he saw where thousands of red threads spanning one wall to another, so many threads that, at first, he had believed it was a red wall covering.

Pushing the door open he stepped inside, each thread was connected to another with knots or were seamlessly attached and they stretched every which way. His eyes roved over the threads and when he followed them upward he saw the room had a ceiling so high he couldn't even see it from where he stood. Was this a bell tower or something?

There was something in his mind urging him to remember why this all seemed so familiar, why he should know what this room was and what the threads meant.

Reaching out he let his fingers run over the threads, they felt cold, more like metal than a soft material thread like he had expected. The door slammed shut behind him causing him to spin on his heel quickly, an apology on the tip of his tongue to whoever it had been entering the room so angrily.

There was no one.

Feeling uneasy about the whole thing he moved to the door and pulled it open and hurried back out of the room not looking back as he did so. He closed the door behind him and closed his eyes, nothing so innocent as a door slamming had ever felt so foreboding to him. It was then he could hear the low murmur of conversation and the atmosphere of the coven house had returned to normal. When he opened his eyes he was greeted by the unwelcome sight of Jane and Alec staring at him.

"Oh great, my very own escort?" They ignored his grumbling and turned to lead him down to the main chamber, they walked in silence and Garrett was fine with that, he didn't need their conversation.

Carlisle and Sulpicia were talking quietly when he arrived and they both looked to him when he approached them where they stood.

"I applaud the first use of manners I have seen from you, Garrett. You were summoned and you came without hesitation, it seems your time here recently did you some good." She didn't have to be like this, she didn't need to embarrass him in front of others. Granted, she did have the right to fight any way she wished but this seemed unfair, especially knowing he was very unlikely going to fight back. Her smile gave her away, and her gaze shifted to Jane, who still stood behind him, for a short moment before returning her focus to him again.

"Where is Aro?" The question earned him a scowl but it was easy enough to brush that off, he wasn't scared of her but he knew he must be wary.

"His whereabouts are none of your concern. He is not obliged to appear before you as though you are owed his presence." Sharp tongue and her words cracked like a whip echoing around the chamber, her expression dark like clouds rolling in threatening thunder.

Had something happened here?

Caius and Marcus were sat reading off to the side as always. This did not concern them, though Marcus did offer a smile in greeting when he noticed him, and Garrett considered that, perhaps, he was an ally should he need one. As remarkable as it sounded that did give him some hope and he returned the small smile with ease.

"Did you summon me for any reason other than to vivisect me with your words?" This earned a slap and the force of it turned Garret's head, they really were similar, she and Aro had the same style of slap, did they practise this together? "Alright, feel better?" He dodged the next one and Carlisle was at his back whispering desperately in his ear for him to calm down and apologise before she did something worse than slap him.

He remembered Jane.

"My apologies, I should not have spoken out of turn and in such a manner."

"Try to remember those manners, you are not racing through the wilds like a beast," Garrett resisted rolling his eyes and he felt Carlisle squeeze his shoulders once in support before letting go and stepping away from him. "I see the letters were speaking the truth, your appearance, while usually this unkempt, does show the signs of petrification as Carlisle said." To his surprise, she seemed to sound concerned and Garrett had the sinking feeling that Aro may have been in the same situation after all. She had summoned him because she needed to help her husband.

"I would like you to remain here until you are fully healed, I would like to see how long it takes for this to regenerate." She wasn't going to tell him but he already knew that Aro must have suffered and in turn, she had worried for her husband, it must have been a relief to see that he had survived and was almost himself again.

The need to see Aro nearly pushed him to argue with her but he refrained and he was sure Carlisle was grateful for such small mercies.

"You may stay in the room you were given last time." With that Sulpicia walked away from him, no further instructions were given. He was to stay for as long as it took for him to heal, then what?

How long could they keep him here?

It had been the distance that made this happen, the distance from Aro, not the coven house. It felt like the universe was punishing him it had created this person just for him and he had the audacity to say 'No, thanks.' and walk away!

"You came out of that relatively unscathed, I'd say. Though, I do wish you would think before you speak." The last part of Carlisle's sentence had clearly been an afterthought but Garrett didn't pay it any attention as he turned and headed out of the chamber with him at his side. It had gone well, well enough anyway. Still, It seemed his future hung in the balance yet again and he just wanted a damn break from the drama for five minutes!

Finding the room was easy, and as he opened the door, he stopped dead staring at the book that still lay innocently on the bed from the last time he had been there. Nothing in the room had been changed, it had been left untouched. Crossing the room Garrett snatched up the book and rifled through the pages until he found the entry he had last seen.

_ Fate Spinners. Fate Threads. _

THIS.

That was why the room had seemed so familiar like he had known of its existence before. This ridiculous book that he had not held much stock in had given him all the answers.

"I know how to break the bond." He handed the book over to Carlisle who looked sceptical as he read it, he closed the book and handed it back to Garrett looking extremely amused if not also a little smug.

"All that hocus pocus coming in handy now?"

"Shut up. Look, I found a room just like the one mentioned in the book with all the threads but there wasn't anyone there. I have to show you it, there were so many threads if I can find the one that is mine and somehow change my fate all of this," He gestured to the room he was in but meant the entirety of the situation, "Can go away!"

Again, Carlisle looked extremely sceptical about this, but he threw up his hands giving in almost immediately.

"The things I let you get me into. Show me this room."

But of course, when they reached the place the door had been it was gone. Garrett paced the hall with great agitation in every gesture he made, he threw out a hand and gestured to the wall where the door had been situated.

"It was right  _ there _ !" The growl in his throat couldn't be contained, how could he have been in a room that didn't exist?

Had he finally lost his mind, it could be the only thing that made any sense... His thoughts were interrupted when someone yelled his name the sheer joy in their voice threw him off considering where he was. Turning to the sound he saw Bianca hurrying toward him, her heels clacking on the marble floor as she walked as fast as she could without causing herself an injury. When she reached him he was enveloped in a hug and held tightly for a long time.

"You came back?!" She practically squealed and Garrett had to laugh at her excitement, it felt good to have a warm welcome from someone he trusted, he turned to Carlisle to introduce them properly and, ever the gentleman, Carlisle shook her hand making Bianca laugh aloud at the sheer oddness of it. "I heard your voice and was sure it couldn't be you-- you didn't say goodbye when you left and I kind of thought the worst."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I'm a nomadic vampire, I roam as I please and I thought it was the right time to go."

Bianca didn't seem convinced and she looked to Carlisle who nodded at her, a silent alliance had been made and now Garrett had two people who would smother him with their warnings about the Volturi. As if he didn't already know he was practically walking dead in the damned place... well, more dead than he already was. Less animated.

"Hey, Bianca, have you seen Aro?" He saw Carlisle roll his eyes but deigned to ignore the reaction as he turned to face Bianca again. She shook her head but bit her lip as if she wanted to tell him something but could not due to the location of their conversation. "You know something, don't you?"

"Of course I do! I know pretty much everything that happens here. I just can't say anything, well, except that the last time I saw him he looked terrible, almost as bad as you. What happened to your face?!" She reached up as if wanting to touch the gaps in his cheeks but pulled away at the last moment looking thoughtful. "Haven't seen him since you left. I have to get back to work, meet me when I finish tonight?" She didn't wait for his answer before she turned on her heel and walked back to her desk in the foyer.

"What time is it now?" Garrett asked, there were no windows where they stood, the hallways were lit with lamps lining the walls giving the illusion of nightfall.

"8am, let's go back to the room and you can tell me what you saw and when, and we can talk through this. This room you saw, might be on another floor, but as you seem to be skating on thin ice here maybe it is best not to go snooping around until you've seen Aro, after all, his word is law here. Your bond protects you from true harm but doesn't stop you from being punished." That warning prompted Garrett into walking and they both returned to his room.

As promised, they talked a while on what Garrett had seen in the room, and Carlisle assured him that he believed what he saw but was confused as to why such a room existed in the coven house and no one had mentioned it to him before. With this in mind, Carlisle left for the library hoping to seek out the plans for the building to look further into it.

Leaving Garrett on his own was the worst idea.

After pacing for several moments he left his room with every intention of finding the one filled with red threads. Heading down the stairs he noticed there seemed to be no one around again, no guards followed him. This was all fine with him even if it was a little suspicious. Garrett had assumed Sulpicia would have someone physically moving him from room to room after the way he had spoken to her, but she obviously hadn't cared all that much seeing how he was free to roam.

Surprise, just as he had assumed, the room was there when he was alone.

Guess it only wanted one visitor and it had chosen him for some reason.

Pushing the door open he saw the familiar threads and smiled victorious, as he stepped into the room he heard someone humming a song and he realised it came from between the myriad of threads around him. He closed the door with a click and the humming stopped, someone moved from behind the threads, shoes clicking on the stone floor, brushing a curtain of red aside he is face to face with Bianca.

"Ah, so you found it again. I wondered when you would." Nothing about her seemed different other than her eyes seemed to hold a kind of tired that only an ancient creature could feel. "You want to know which thread is yours?" When Garrett didn't respond Bianca took his hand and pulled him through the sea of red until they came to a small space clear of threads only a small spinning wheel and a stool stood, there was thread on the spindle but it wasn't red, it sparked and spat gold light glinting in the weak light that filtered through a barred window high above them.

"That one isn't yours. Don't worry, I haven't touched yours." Again, Garrett remained silent, his brain hadn't quite caught up yet and so his friend showed him around the room until they stopped at a set of white threads he hadn't seen when he found the room earlier. "Threads for vampires, you guys still have fate even if you're dead. And this one is yours." She touched a thread and Garrett stumbled back as his whole body vibrates when she plucked at it, his world span for a second and he heard Bianca laugh at him.

"Sorry, I do it to everyone when they first see their thread, just a reminder that it matters." She let him approach it and when he reached out to touch it, she used her hand to connect him with his own thread, nothing happened but what had he expected from a thread? "Your entire life is in this, from the second you were born, to when you died and were reborn. Everything that has happened and will happen is here. You can't see it, but each time  _ I  _ touch it the story of your life plays in my mind."

Garrett plucked at his string and his body complained physically again, moving his focus to Bianca he asked, "What do you see?"

An arched brow as if to say ' _ What do you think _ ?' and Garrett would have blushed if he could because he knew exactly what she meant. There were more questions so many more but nothing seemed relevant other than the one singular thought he'd had since finding out who his fated mate was.

"Can my fate be changed?"

"Everyone's fate can be changed. Do you want to change it?" Her question reminded him of when they last spoke, she said he had looked sick when he mentioned wanting to leave the city for good, did he look that way now? He imagined that he did and indecision flooded his mind in waves. It was for the best.

"It's for the best," It hurts, damn it!

"Are you sure?" Why was she still questioning him?!

"Just let me cut this thread and be done with it, dammit, Bianca. Let me be free!" He roared as he turned to her a snarl on his face. The outburst did nothing and Bianca remained unaffected by the rage emanating from her friend, to her he was just lost and panicked the end was near, he could feel it and she stood in his way with her questions.

"Alright, alright. Calm down, I'm not going to stop you." Her voice was gentle and in a second she produced a pair of gleaming silver scissors which she handed to him without ceremony. She wanted to stop him, Garrett could see it in her eyes but she didn't move or speak in any way that would change his mind.

Taking the scissors in shaking hands he turns back to his thread, he strummed his thumb over it again and felt the pulse of it through him. Now he was sure it was the right thread he steadies his hand and moves to carefully to cut the thread, he can feel the sear of the scissors against it in his soul and had he the ability he would have thrown up. Every single fibre of his being screamed that it was wrong and that he shouldn't be doing this and yet he still closes the scissors over the thread.

An unknown force throws Garrett backwards and into the stone wall behind him. The room before him starts to shake and suddenly the stone walls are collapsing large parts of the tower are falling to the ground and the threads are bowing like tightly plucked violin strings, though none of them snap.

The last thing he sees is a large chunk of the ceiling falling towards him as the tower completely crumbles on top of him.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, Garrett and Aro have the chance to talk to one another without interference. It is a chance to be open and honest about what they want. 
> 
> Talking in circles is the dish of the day

##  Chapter Fourteen

_ There's something wretched about this _

_ Something so precious about this _

_ Oh what a sin _

  
  
  


_ Garrett closed the door behind him and picked his way across the room. He stepped over the broken vase, shredded and discarded red drapes that littered the floor like rose petals and a large splintered piece of wood that likely belonged to a table once upon a time.  _

_ The other door, that led to the bedchamber was ajar and Garrett didn't hesitate in pushing it open.  _

_ Aro sat at a plain and tidy writing desk, a fountain pen in hand as he wrote something at a leisurely pace on familiar white card.  _

_ When he glanced up to see who had come to him the writing ceased. The pen slid from his hand and the Volturi leader was on his feet in seconds.  _

_ Cautiously, Garrett approached him his eyes never leaving Aro's as he made his way around the desk. Once face to face, he could see the lingering effects of the petrification on his skin, his cheeks down his neck still looked rough to the touch like tree bark.  _

_ Aside from that Aro seemed completely himself. His only concern was how quiet the man was, there was no sharp tongue with something teasing or wicked to cut Garrett open with.  _

_ Taking a leap of faith that he would not lose limbs he leaned forward and pressed his forehead against Aro's and instantly he felt the man before him relax.  _

_ "You've come home, tell me you've come home?" His own words seemed to startle him and he took a step back breaking all contact with Garrett.  _

_ Apparently, he hadn't taken the time to take in Garrett's appearance until then and he let a look of horror wash over him without a second thought. Before Garrett had a chance to feel anything akin to dismay, Aro lifted a hand to his face to touch the still healing holes on Garrett's cheeks.  _

_ "Does it hurt you?" Aro's voice was whisper quiet and soft with concern that he had not believed capable of the elder vampire.  _

_ He gave a shake of his head and tried to hide the smile creeping over his lips at the man's concern and sudden sweetness.  _

_ The hand that cupped Garrett's cheek slid to the back of his neck and he was pulled down to Aro's height and into a deep and desperate kiss.  _

_ Weeks of confusion and hesitation slid from his shoulders and he pressed Aro against the closest wall deepening the kiss further.  _

_ It felt good and right.  _

_ "Tell me you've come home, Garrett, please," Aro whispered against his lips almost begging him as he pressed himself into Garrett. _

Garrett's eyes snap open and he gasps willing himself to sit up even as pain sears through him. Someone shushes him as he tries to speak and a hand to his shoulder pushes him back down onto the bed. 

The hand that pinned his shoulder to the bed moves back to its original spot and it is then that Garrett realises someone is stroking his hair. 

“Well, that didn’t work, did it?” That impossibly soft voice, the hint of amusement seemingly mixed with relief, it could only belong to Aro. 

Blinking, Garrett turned to where the sound had come from. The room was instantly recognisable as the one he had been given when first arriving at the coven house almost ten days ago now. 

Aro was sat by his bedside still stroking Garrett's hair. He wasn't as well dressed, as usual, no jacket and no jewellery, just a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His hair hung loosely over one shoulder it held a slight wave to it and Garrett realised it was damp as though recently washed.

Just like in the dream Aro’s skin looked rough to the touch like the bark of a tree, and when he tried to reach out and touch it Aro leaned into the touch and allowed Garrett to cup his cheek as though it were the most natural thing in the world. 

How long did they have before this ended? 

Not wanting to think of such a thing his mind lands on the one question he was afraid to hear the answer to.

“Is Bianca ok?” 

Aro gave him a strange look, but slowly he nodded but said nothing, and returned to stroking Garrett's hair. 

If Bianca was alright then why wasn't he? He felt like the building was still on top of him and moving felt like a painful chore. 

Everything hurt so much but his soul felt calm. Garrett didn't want to look too closely at the reasons, but he was fairly certain it was because Aro was right there by his side. Right there stroking his hair sat as close as he could without being on the bed.

Something held him back still, and Garrett let himself relax into the man's touch. Hadn't this been what his entire being had wanted since their first meeting? 

Was Aro waiting for him to say something?

He was acutely aware that Aro's other hand gripped the bed sheet as though forcing himself to sit still and refrain from doing something he shouldn't. 

Sighing, Garrett lifted his hand, though it took some effort, and he offered it to Aro. The ancient vampire ceased his actions but did not move to take his hand. 

"Don't you want to see what happened?" Garrett asked quietly. His hand was shaking and so, in the end, he let it fall back to the bed.

"What good will it be to see how disgusted you are with the thought of being bonded to me?"

"It's… not disgust." Garrett whispered and again, he tried to sit up, again, Aro pushed him back down onto the bed. "Stop doing that- Aro it isn't disgust. Take my hand, please just look!" 

He must have sounded desperate given the stricken look he received from the elder. Eventually, Aro relented and he sat up straighter to take Garrett's hand in his own. 

"I don't want to do this. I hope you understand that." In one hand he held Garrett's, his free hand sliding over the top to cover it. 

For a moment there was silence and Aro's gaze shifted to the faraway look as he scoured through Garrett's memories. It seemed an eternity before he let go of his hand and when he did he moved to his feet.

"Why did you want me to see this?" Aro's voice seemed small, and he sounded impossibly hurt. 

"What the fu- what do you mean why? Isn't this the discovery of the damn century?!" Why wasn't anyone else fascinated with the fact he had met one of the Fates and found the strings of every vampire that was currently alive?! 

Was he going crazy?

Was he seeing this and his brain just wasn’t recording or something? 

“All I see is your desperation for us to be parted.” A whisper-quiet statement and Garrett finally sat up without being forced back down onto the bed. Oh, how every part of him screamed out in unison as he moved, but he had to brush that aside to get up. 

“I swear to… Aro, are you out of your mind, we can’t be together and as far as I was aware we didn’t want this from the get-go. What changed while I was out, how long was I out for?” He was swaying on his feet as he spoke and when he raised a hand to brush his hair from his face he felt the gaps in his cheeks were still there and his skin still like bark in patches. 

Why hadn’t his closeness to Aro healed this? 

“When was it agreed that we did not wish to be together?” The volume in Aro’s voice rose and he looked up at Garrett defiant, his confidence returning and the softness of his disposition from earlier receding rapidly. 

“You’ve been married for over 1000 years to the same woman, one would think you would be pretty committed to her and some mystical fate garbage wouldn’t change that!” He hated this. He hated everything about this argument and he knew that if it kept going he’d say something he regretted. 

Something would slip out. Garrett couldn’t trust himself not to bare his soul now they were alone. It was hard to find any reason Aro would want to leave his wife, she was beautiful, smart, witty and cunning. The way in which he looked at her as though she were the moon and he was completely enchanted by her ethereal glow. 

There was no way he could compete with that. Garrett scoffed inwardly, he wasn’t soft and he certainly wasn’t smart- enough people had told him that throughout his existence and he saw no reason to assume it was untrue. 

It wasn’t that he thought himself as lower than Aro, or not good enough for him. This was not about worth because Garrett knew he had worth, he was something and he was someone. It was the fact he and Aro were not a good match, they had nothing in common and the only thing they had done since their first meeting was argued… and he had kissed him once but he wasn’t counting that as anything. 

“Is it because you’re in love with Bianca?” Garrett threw up his arms and turned away from Aro for a second before turning right back around to face him. All he felt was utter disbelief at the sheer audacity Aro had to even say such a thing. 

“You sure are the personification of the saying ‘the lights are on but no one’s home’. I’m not in love with Bianca if I was there would be no problems between us. I’m in love with you and I want to be with you but you are married and, as I have come to realise, a fucking idiot!” 

Clearly taken aback by his language Garrett watched Aro’s brow as it creased into a frown and he grimaced with distaste. There was no anger there though, yes, he was offended, but not angry. 

“If you want to be with me so desperately why did you try to cut the thread?!” Knife sharp, Garrett was sure he felt the words slice him open and for a second it felt as though all the air had left the room. 

_ He had seen it. He saw the threads… _

“You’ve done nothing but bemoan the situation from the beginning and I accommodated it. I offered you the knowledge of the Volturi and our extensive selection of books and connections and you refused it. 

How can I know you or know of your intentions when you skulk in the shadows running off with my damned secretary every opportunity you got, or just outright vanishing back off to that damned little county to be with the Cullen family?” 

In all honesty, Garrett had nothing to say. For the most part, Aro was right, and any time they had met to talk the conversation just went round in circles. They had never sat and put all their cards on the table to discuss what they wanted or what would happen if they found a way to be separated. 

“I love and adore my wife, Garrett. She has been by my side for years as my support and my friend… but I cannot help the way I feel for you. I love you, I want us to be together." This was as open as he'd ever seen Aro, this was as calm and as honest too… it had also been the longest amount of time they had spent together. 

"I had wanted to talk about this later when I knew you would have recovered further but you are stubborn and impatient, so here we are!" The admonishment was soft, playful and it eased the tension in the room perfectly. 

Garrett wanted to gather Aro up in his arms and kiss the breath out of him, he wanted to know how it felt to embrace him without reserve. To have him at his side, to rest with him and adore him in his own time.

What did a genuine and desired kiss feel like from Aro?

Would his touch feel different of Garrett was open and receptive to it? 

"You should rest. Your regenerative powers are lacking from recent events, you will feel awful for a few days, I believe." 

Doing as he is told Garrett sits down on the edge of the bed but as he does he beckons Aro to him. The elder vampire crosses the room slowly his expression one of trepidation. 

How odd it was to see him so unsure of things and so unguarded. Garrett would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy seeing him this way. 

Without a word, he grabbed Aro's hand and tugged him closer and he rests his forehead on Aro's abdomen sighing at the closeness. Not once had Aro recoiled at his appearance, instead, he had still seemed drawn to Garrett and concerned for his well being. 

"Stay a little longer?" Garrett had taken a leap of faith with this, he had extended out an olive branch of sorts and he waited silently for Aro's response.

It came in the form of a suffering sigh but Garrett could already tell it lacked real derision. His headrest moved away and gently he was forced to lie down again. 

"I can spare a few moments, I think." 


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carlisle and Bianca decide a little talk therapy might help their friend onto the road of discovery. 
> 
> Sometimes it really is ok to be selfish.

##  Chapter Fifteen

_ And we used to _

_ Have a voice _

_ We sang in flight _

_ In flight _

_ In plight _

  
  


Garrett couldn't remember how long Aro had lain beside him. All he could recall were the quiet questions they had asked one another as the room grew dark and the light outside faded into the early evening.

At times they were silent, and Garrett's mind would wander right into the things he had been trying to ignore. In those moments, as though he knew, Aro would speak again and coax Garrett's thoughts back to the present moment.

Eventually, it was time for them to part. Aro had shirked his duties long enough and he explained that, while it looked as though being the leader of the Volturi was all fun and games, he still had paperwork and other formal duties to attend to.

It was the bland look on his face as he said this that had caused Garrett to smile and, reluctantly, let the elder vampire leave without much resistance on his part.

Moments, after Aro had left there, was a soft knock at the door before it was pushed open and Carlisle stepped in. He stood in the doorway with a look of relief clear on his face when he found his friend conscious and alert.

"Still alive somehow." Garrett croaked and he moved to sit up in bed keenly aware of the empty space that Aro had occupied not moments ago. His hand lingered on the space, his eyes scanning the creases in the sheets but there was no trace of him left behind and all Garrett had now was the feeling of emptiness.

"You've got some lucky charm tucked in your pocket, I'm sure. A rabbit's foot or four-leaf clover is hidden on you. That or lady fate really has a soft spot for you." What had been an innocent joke from Carlisle left Garrett cold like being plunged into ice water, he tried to brush it off with a smile and thankfully seemed to succeed.

“Ahaha, it probably would have been easier if I’d been wiped out, right?”

“For who?” Carlisle countered instantly all the while shaking his head in dismay at his friend. Crossing the room he took the seat Aro had occupied earlier that day. “I saw Aro leave here not too long ago. I heard he spent quite some time with you here today.” The air in which this had been said had been casual but Garrett knew Carlisle was fishing for some kind of details, but not feeling all too forthcoming he merely offered his friend a noncommittal shrug.

“Well, you’re both remarkably calm, so only good things could have happened. I do hope you managed to get some conversation in between whatever it was you were doing.” Another tease and this time Garrett took the bait and glared at his friend his mouth opening and closing several times while Carlisle sat smiling politely.

“We didn’t  _ do _ anything. I just asked him to stay… I didn’t want to be alone.” Garrett awaited judgement on his weakness but none came and Carlisle only looked away as though guilt-ridden by the whole thing.

“I’m sorry I was of no help when you needed me the most,” Carlisle uttered the words through a heaving sigh, he sounded truly sorrowful and Garrett wondered how he could have dragged his friend into this time and time again.

It wasn’t fair.

“You did more than enough,” Garrett argued and he huffed angrily as he tried to pull himself out of bed, Carlisle jumped to his feet to force his friend back down and he had just about enough of people forcing him into bed over and over. “Will you stop that, if it isn’t you it’s Aro making lie down. I’m a vampire, none of this is supposed to hurt and I shouldn’t be resting!” It came out less frustrated and more childish but he slapped Carlisle’s hands away successfully and his friend sat back in his seat allowing Garrett free movement of his aching limbs.

“Half of a building fell on you and crushed your body if Aro hadn’t frantically dug you out when he had you’d be in worse shape than this still.” The comment was off hand but well placed in the conversation and it grabbed Garrett’s attention enough to stop him mid-stand and he dropped back heavily onto the mattress.

It took him some time to process what had been revealed, finally, when it dawned on him his eyes widen but still he takes some time to construct a sentence to ask what he wanted.

All that came to mind was, “What happened?”

Right away Garrett saw how uneasy Carlisle was talking about it, and yet he did not gracefully accept that it was a story for Aro to share, not his friend. For the first time in his life he spared a moment to feel utter envy for those that had gifts, he would have given anything to share the same powers as Aro.

Even just to spare his friend from having to speak aloud something that seemed to make him feel so ill at ease.

"I've… I've never seen him frantic like that before," Carlisle winced as he spoke as though he'd rather not remember what had happened. "We were all together when we felt the place collapse and he had this look of horror on his face like he knew you were in trouble. Before we knew it he was running from the chamber and we all followed him." He stopped for a moment and looked Garrett square in the eyes the most confused look upon his face as though willing answers from Garrett for questions he hadn't asked yet.

"How he knew you were under all that rubble... Marcus said it was the bond but how can that be, a lot of us are bonded and we don't feel such things," Garrett could hear irritation clear in Carlise's voice now and it amused him that the man couldn't stand being unable to explain something away- hadn't he said they were all created from dark magic a few days ago? "He threw himself at the mess and just started digging you out, no one could pull him away and he was covered in so much dust. Sulpicia was screaming at him to come away with her but it was as though he could no longer hear the outside world." Garrett held up a hand to silence his friend, he didn't want to hear any more- he could feel his heart beating so hard it could have cracked his ribs.

"He was the one to dig me out?" The words tumble from his lips but he spoke so quietly that to any human ears he might have not spoken at all, yet he had been heard and Carlisle answered with a quick nod of the head clearly reluctant to confirm anything. 

"What happened to Sulpicia?"

"I am not sure. She wasn't keen on staying to watch her husband behaving the way he was. Caius was sure his brother had been possessed or had completely lost his mind."

"Maybe he has... he seemed different when I spoke to him, he seemed so intent on us being together."

"And you do not wish for that?" That's right, he hadn't told Carlisle what had actually happened before half a building toppled over right on top of him.

His limbs still felt stiff and he rolled his shoulders, smiling when they made a satisfying crack and pop as they settled again to continue healing. A small part of him did worry that he would remain disfigured, that his teeth would forever glint through the holes of his cheeks like a monster dreamed up for Halloween by an edgy teen.

Aro hadn't seemed to care.

"Since the beginning, I haven't known what I wanted. When I was given the chance to cut myself off from him I took it because it seemed to be the right thing to do."

"Why would it be the right thing?" This felt like a therapy session the way the Carlisle tried to remain neutral not wanting to offer his own opinion. "Do you think this is for the best?"

_ Of course it was _ ! Garrett nodded chewing his lip as he tried to figure out how to convey his thought process without sounding woeful. This wasn't about being sad, it had been about trying to keep things in order, keep things the way they were supposed to be... But apparently, fate believed differently and decided he needed to be heavily wounded in the process of changing things.

"It  _ was _ for the best, I don't know why fate decided I had to be with Aro, it doesn't make any sense. Am I supposed to be changing the course of history?

"You're going to have to tell me what happened, Garrett. What did you do?"

And so Garrett sat and told Carlisle everything, he spoke of Bianca and the room of threads, the red threads and the white ones, even the one on the spindle that spat gold- he explained the thrumming of his own soul when the string was plucked and how Bianca had told him that everyone's fate could be changed. Midway through his explanation, he stopped letting his friend process everything so far. Diving back in Garrett told him of the moment Bianca had handed him the scissors, essentially leaving his fate in his own hands but it was never to be the case.

His thread remained intact. It likely always would be and so he would hurt and pine and torture himself over Aro for however long it took for someone to put him out of his misery. Or however long it took for him to petrify completely.

The easiest way out, really.

"Why would she give you the scissors to cut your thread if she knew it wouldn't work?" Carlisle's voice cut cleanly through his dark thoughts and Garrett ran a hand through his hair trying to shake the feeling that came over him. "It doesn't make sense. Then again, what do we know about fate other than she is not to be trifled with?" 

"Virtually nothing, I haven't really had such a subject at the top of my reading list at any point,"

They sat in silence and Garrett actually felt glad for it. His body ached and as much as he hated to admit it, he wanted to sleep. A hunt would have probably sped up the healing process but he was damn sure the Volturi wouldn't let him leave the coven house, not if Aro had anything to do with it.

"What it all comes down to is this. Do you want to cut that thread or are you hesitating because you want him?"

How long had he spent being utterly confused and frustrated about the events of the past few days?

Was it so simple that he could voice his desires and that would be it, he would be handed his wishes on a silver platter without a single ounce of resistance from anyone else? Of course not, but he was still free to make his choice regardless of how hard it would be to fight for what he wanted. If he decided to fight, Garrett wondered if admitting his want for Aro would resign him to wandering the halls of the Volturi coven house like a ghost for the next few centuries.

If he made it to a millennia it would be considered a victory, an astonishing one but a victory all the same.

"This indecision will be the thing that kills me, Carlisle, I swear to God. I know I want him, I love him but..."

"You need to stop with the hangups and just say if you do or not."

Their conversation ended when the door opened and Bianca sauntered in with a smile on her face, though she had the grace to look, somewhat, sheepish as she closed the door behind her and approached the bed where Garrett still sat.

"I'm not mad at you for what happened, just come and sit with us and remind me why I should still trust you after I was nearly crushed?" Garrett was lowkey a little sore with what had happened but Bianca had always been his supporter in all of this and he wasn't about to let her go because of a building falling over. Sure friendships had ended over lesser things but Garrett had never been one to toss someone aside for their mistakes, he wasn't perfect... no one was.

With a look of relief, Bianca clicked over on her skyscraper heels and sat beside him looking him over. She seemed concerned with the bruises that bloomed over his skin and the scrapes that didn't seem quite healed. Everything was still slow going and it honestly tired Garrett out.

"You look terrible, but at least you're alive. If you had died I think Aro would have turned to dust from despair." Her joke didn't go over well and Carlisle cleared his throat as if hoping it would distract them all from the tension in the room. Bianca's shoulders slump as she speaks again "I'm sorry, Garrett. I needed you to know that no matter how hard you try you can't change fate the easy way. I didn't think it would result in you being buried under a tonne of stone, though."

Garrett brushed it off with a weary smile.

"I'm sure I will endure worse in the future." 

"I hope not..." Bianca's voice was small and she looked as though she wished to say more but Carlisle spoke before she could and she looked pleased to have the attention off her.

"You came right on time, I was asking Garrett what he wanted from all of this, did he want to try his luck with Aro or did he want to carry on in his search for an end to it all?" Bianca looked from the doctor to her friend and worried her lip between her teeth, this time she did speak.

"You would consider still trying to sever what you two have?"

It was hard to say how he felt at that moment with his friends sat waiting for him to make the biggest and hardest decision of his life. It wasn't as if he could get up and leave Volterra without consequences and the thought of hurting Aro did not seem all that enticing.

"Think of what you want for once?" Bianca suggested, Carlisle, nodded in agreement.

If it was that easy.

But it was.

It had been from the beginning.

"I want Aro."


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was simple. All he had to do was tell Aro how he felt. 
> 
> So, why is it now Garrett cannot remember even the simplest of sentences?

##  Chapter Sixteen

_ I'll cut until I carve it out _

_ And stick it in a sad, sad song _

  
  


The desperation he felt at that moment was wild and enthralling. To openly proclaim his desires felt freeing and he got to his feet, albeit slowly, and headed for the door. At that moment he wanted nothing more than to find Aro, gather him up in his arms and crush him against him. 

“I’ll be back, I promise,” Garrett called over his shoulder, he felt drunk as he moved towards the door and the room swayed and spun, he grappled with the handle of the door confused with the mechanism before he twisted it angrily and the door clicked open. 

Pain addled his brain yet he pressed on in search of the elder vampire. 

Tackling the stairs seemed to be the most difficult task. He was surprised when suddenly he was lifted from the ground, thick arms around his waist, and carried easily down the stairs. 

When his feet hit the floor he turned to face the one that had assisted him, and Felix stood towering over him like a mountain more than a man. Floundering for a moment left Felix the opportunity to speak.

"It seemed quicker to help, I'm sorry if it caused offence but you seemed to be in a hurry." The guard said with a toothy grin, with that he turned and headed back up the stairs without a second glance to Garrett. 

Thankful, if not a little bit mystified, Garrett turned on his heel to continue his search. The place couldn't be that big and yet every corner he turned revealed a new corridor he hadn't seen before, and he quickly realised that the last time he had been around he hadn't fully explored the place. 

There were more stairs too… where was Felix now, he could have used a hand. He was tiring quickly and he ended up having to take a break and lean against a wall to regain some strength.

Regeneration was hard.

One thing after another plagued him physically and while it did feel as though the universe was conspiring against him, it was definitely trying to push Garrett toward Aro more than anything else. Whatever it had instore for the both of them remained to be seen for now... Garrett would have been happy with a quiet life even if that quiet life was only a few hours long. Whatever time he had left on the earth he wanted to invest in getting to know Aro- who he was before the coven and who he will be in the future.

Would he ever consider leaving The Volturi?

That didn't matter right now. 

Why was this man so damned hard to find?!

Pushing away from the wall Garrett turned and was met with the most welcome sight of Aro moving down the hall quickly towards him, on one hand, he had found him, on the other hand, he looked... furious. The dread that chilled his veins was momentary as he realised Aro was simply worried for him. As the elder approached him he hissed something in Italian that went right over Garrett's head but he did smile cheekily.

"What are you doing down here?!" Aro's voice was an octave higher than it should be and he stalled suddenly as though trying to calm himself, Garrett smiled down at him already throwing his arm around Aro's shoulders to pull him closer to him. "Are you intent on being irritating me the entire time you are recovering?" His voice had returned to normal but the edge had softened as Garrett slung his arm over his shoulders.

"Maybe I like the way you frown?" The flirty tone in his words grabbed Aro's attention and he looked up at Garrett mystified with his strange behaviour, he opened his mouth to say something but no words came forth and so he closed it again and narrowed his eyes trying to suss the man out. "I was looking for you- I needed to find you actually."

"We haven't been apart long, what is so dyer that you must crawl from your sick bed to find me?" Still sounding irritated Aro turned so he was facing Garret properly rather than having his shoulder dig into Garrett's chest needlessly. The elder vampire looked up, his red gaze searching his face awaiting an explanation as though sure Garrett would have nothing to defend himself with.

It was easy to scream it from the roof tops but not when he was doing it to an audience, even if it was the man his desires were directed at, with Aro staring up at him all bravado fled and Garrett lifted his hand to nervously scratch the back of his neck, a small and unsure laugh escaping as he did so. How did one go about declaring their love without it sounding like a romantic novel parody?

There hadn't been a time he had tried to do this before, in his human life he had been a soldier, and didn't have much time for romance, just fleeting trysts that, in the end, meant nothing but boosted morale enough to send him off to his death... In his vampire life, Kate had been the only one who he thought he could dedicate his life to and his declaration to her had been so lacklustre but appreciated. Aro didn't seem the type to enjoy something understated but nothing overly dramatic either.

"I... so, you see. Well, It's just... that. Yeah." It was just a muddle of words that were there to start a sentence but nothing to reveal what he had wanted to speak of, instead he revealed himself to be a mumbling idiot. Garrett now had visions of Aro seeking out Fate with a hatchet to sever their bond and he let out another laugh but winced when he saw the bemused expression of the object of his affections. It shouldn't have been so hard to tell him he loved him and wanted to be with him, he assumed part of him was afraid of hurting Sulpicia. Even if Aro hadn't been worried about that himself Garett was and he was afraid of Jane vaporising him with her psychically inflicted pain.

"My, you are chatty today aren't you?" A tease from Aro as he gently moved backwards pulling away from Garrett's casual embrace, while it looked as though it pained him to do so there must have been a reason for it. Of course, there was and Garrett watched as Aro raised both hands and cupped his face with them so gently as not to disturb the healing wounds on Garrett's cheeks still. "I so dearly hope you're trying to tell me what it is I think you are... I want to hear you say it." His voice was impossibly soft now with a hint of hopeful, it made Garrett ache with adoration hearing this fierce and powerful leader open himself up to vulnerability, a quiet desperation seeping out into the air but soaked into the very fibre of his being as he held Garrett's face in his hands.

"Do we have to do this in the hallway?" Gods, he felt so uncomfortable being out in the open like this. His legs quivered and could barely hold him, and his energy was leached out of him from tearing around the coven house seeking out the man that now stood before him waiting and expecting something grand and beautiful.

Would simple do?

Would the truth be enough?

"I wonder why you're so timid now. You've never had to do this before, have you?"

Of course he would realise this, of course he would and the fact he pretended not to know such a thing... it was slightly endearing but God awful too. There was no malicious intent in Aro's words even when he laughed aloud when Garrett raised his gaze to the ceiling all the while shaking his head. Aro had seen every memory and thought cemented in his mind up until an hour ago but lying so obviously to his face was a little much.

"You're making this harder, can't you just accept that you already know what is going to be said and be done with it?" He hadn't meant to whine but it pulled a bright smile from Aro, who still held on to his face, as he moved his gaze back to the elder vampire he felt the grip tighten ever so slightly, and he was pulled down into a kiss.

Oh, this he liked.

Everything felt like it fell into place easier when their lips met, they couldn't say something embarrassing like this. They were connected without a single thought being shared, aside from the obvious thought that they very much loved one another. A small thrill ran through Garrett when he tangled his shaking hands into Aro's hair and he was gifted with a moan into his mouth and Aro pressed himself into him with urgency. The fact they were stood in a hallway plastered together as though one didn't seem to bother Aro and Garrett found himself letting that same worry slip away unimportant now compared to their current actions.

A throat clearing brought them out of their haze and the kiss broke bringing them back jarringly back to reality. Aro turned neatly on his heel to face the one who would dare interrupt him, Garrett smirked almost hearing Aro's outraged thoughts as he turned to greet Marcus with a glare, no doubt. Almost automatically, Garrett raised a hand to Aro's shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze hoping that it would abate the obvious ire that had flared to life within him.

"The sheer audacity, I know, love." The three of them in the hallway freeze and Garrett takes a second to realise what he has actually said aloud rather than in his own mind. He all but snatches his hand from Aro's shoulder and leans against the wall with his eyes closed and his hands over his face. How did they get this comfortable in such a short space of time... so close that terms of endearment had sprung forth from his lips like blooms in spring bursting open with reckless abandon?!

When Garrett had the courage to move his hands and open his eyes he takes in the scene before him, Marcus had the damned  _ gall  _ to look amused, meanwhile Aro still stood with his back to him. Shuffling forward Garrett moves to put a hand to Aro's shoulder and turn him to him, but a quick gesture from Marcus cuts that short and, with a kindness, that he should not have reserved for either of them, said...

"He always gets like this with romance," The words struck something familiar within him and he was thrown back to the night he spent in the tiny hotel rooms with Carlisle, when his interest had gotten the better of him and the poor doctor had been pelted with questions about the Volturi leader.

_ He gets a bit teary over romantic plays or novels. _

Was Aro crying?

He sincerely hoped not and that the man might have just been a bit choked up, not genuinely letting tears fall- Garrett didn't know what to do with crying people. How did one comfort someone that was crying over something you did?

Can you just say sorry and hope they're alright with everything?

Maybe act as though it didn't happen and they hadn't just been leaking from the eyes?

The act of crying was so intimate. To experience an emotion so intensely to the point you cannot keep it inside any longer, for it to manifest in such a way that could wrench a heart in two, Garrett felt it was all too overwhelming and he was truly awed by the human body and mind for a moment.

Again, without thinking he raises a hand but rather than forcing the elder to turn round, he places his palm against Aro's back letting the man before him know he was there and that he would not leave not until he was told to.

"Hey, weren't you supposed to be angry at this guy for interrupting your time with your fated mate?" Garrett urged hoping the smile could be heard in his voice as spoke. This had apparently worked because Aro's shoulders squared again and he nodded though to who Garrett was unsure. Feeling that all was well again he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes as Aro spoke to Marcus in clipped tones as though trying to remain polite and civil.

When Garrett's eyes blinked open again his view had changed somewhat. The ceiling was further away and everyone seemed far taller, he had slid down the wall in his exhaustion and Marcus was now no longer looking at Aro but with great concern right at him, when Garrett tried to lift his hand to wave him away he found he had very little strength and he moaned from the inconvenience of it.

"You pay attention to him while he berates you, I am just fine down here... just need... a minute to collect myself that's all." His words were slurred together rushed and stumbling into the back of one another, Garrett swore he was blind drunk if that was even possible for a vampire, well, it was but it had been a damned long time since he had that kind of fun. This time it feels more like he might just be suffering terrible lag in regenerating and his injuries were getting the better of him.

"Call for Felix to take him to bed. This is his own fault, he should have stayed there and, for once, did as he was told!" The reprimand was aimed at him though indirectly and yet Garrett could only smile up at Aro bleary-eyed hoping his appreciation and adoration were apparent even in his weakened state. "Bring him something to drink, Garrett, never have I met a more useless vampire."

Gods above and below, he loved that angry man a little more than he had let on even to himself.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garrett is determined to walk down the halls of the coven house unaided before his time there is over. 
> 
> Marcus brings information... sort of. Unhelpful as always. 
> 
> ... And Aro opens up about his past. Garrett isn't sure he is all too pleased with the honesty.

##  Chapter Seventeen

_ Eighth wonder of the world. _

_ You'll never get to see. _

_ What in the name of God can I be? _

  
  


Being lifted to his feet like he weighed nothing more than a sheet of paper did nothing for Garret’s ego but all the same, he was thankful. He sincerely doubted he would have been able to get to his feet without assistance after all the energy he had expended.

Felix seemed happy enough to help and Garrett leaned heavily on him as he was escorted back to, what was now dubbed as, 'his room'. Aro followed behind with Marcus but they did not speak and Garrett wondered if Aro was really upset with Marcus- he didn't seem the type to throw a fit over something so small. Then again, he couldn't say he knew all too much about Aro, it was one thing to sit and ask questions on their interests and such for a few hours. But to cohabit with them was a whole other situation, but people learned as they went, it would probably be the same for them.

Shaking his head a sense of amusement flecked with panic bubbled up in his chest, how easy had it been just now to think of living with Aro?

Did he expect domestic bliss the same as the Cullen family from a man that had been the head of a powerhouse coven like The Volturi?

The men and women that resided in the coven house were, essentially, royalty even if they held no titles in life and their ‘after’ life. While there was no official hierarchy within the vampire world most communities looked to the Volturi to keep the peace and enforce the rules. Of course, there had been challengers that approached Aro and his brothers hoping to pull the power from beneath their feet like a rug, hoping to see them topple like any empire from history had done. So far, none had come close, and it merely lent an air of legend to the coven. As such, allowing them to continue for years without any sort of interruption once the challengers fled with their tails before their legs or they were wiped out of existence.

Carlisle and Bianca jump up from their respective seats as Felix pushes the door open and helps Garrett limp into the room, they exchange nervous glances but as soon as Felix deposits their friend on the bed he leaves and they relax, somewhat. Aro steps into the room with Marcus close behind, he seemed intent on speaking with Aro, regardless of where that was.

"If I close my eyes I am gonna be unconscious in two seconds flat, I'm bone tired," Garrett exclaimed with a groan, he didn't see three of the room's occupants roll their eyes at him. Bianca explains that she should really leave and get some sleep for work in the morning. She is gifted with a half-hearted wave from Garrett, he is too tired to sit up or even speak at this point.

"Let me escort you to your room, I must take my leave for the evening also." Carlise offered quickly. After that Garrett only heard hurried footsteps on stone as his two friends leave him, only Aro and Marcus remained, he felt someone sit on the edge of the bed and before long the feeling of fingers brushing his hair from his face.

"You are a true dolt," The familiar amused tone was soothing to Garrett as well as the feeling of his hair being played with. It could have been a wonderfully intimate moment had Marcus not moved to sit down, the chair scraped across the stone as Marcus moved it, likely, closer to the both of them. "If I ask you to rest I expect you to do as you are told this time."

"Mmhm," The sound was forced from Garrett's throat as he tried to voice his acknowledgement that Aro was not requesting this but demanding obedience from him.  _ Won't be so cocky when I'm all healed up...  _ A smile formed on his lips and Aro's petting of his hair ceased.

"I mean it."

"Yup."

There was a huff of frustration not that it worried him, each time he had met Aro right up until earlier that day, he had seemed tamer than others had described him. It might have been the bond that had him treat Garrett to a gentler version of himself but even around those he had known for thousands of years he seemed calm and collected. He was no dictator, he was firm and fair to a degree, Garrett could see where the power had gotten to him but stand at the peak of power with the rest of the vampire world looking up at you for answers... it was bound to happen.

"I agree you should rest, but I am here to speak with both of you. It is very important if... you have both decided to remain together." Marcus' voice brought Garrett back to the present and his sleepy dreamy state vanished as he opened his eyes. Aro was sat at his side on the edge of the bed but was looking across at Marcus, his long dark hair obscuring his expression and Garrett frowned as he rolled onto his side hoping to sit up.

"What... do you mean by 'if you decide to stay together'?" Garrett had propped himself up on one elbow and Aro gave him a frown when their eyes met. With one clean move, Aro pulled Garrett's elbow from under him and he fell face-first into a pillow. A consoling hand was placed on his side as a silent apology even though Garrett knew full well Aro was not sorry in any way for his actions. He remained on his side and turned his head so he was looking to Marcus all the while adhering to Aro's order to rest.

"This concerns your bond and...  _ your  _ wife." Marcus spoke slowly his hesitance was because of Aro, who had tensed up at the mention of his wife, when neither he nor Aro spoke against him Marcus continued, "Sulpicia is well aware of what the bond is, she met with Garrett they spoke of it, the knowledge which you have she has too." The urgency in his voice was thinly veiled and Garrett was surprised to find that Marcus was on their side, he had every right to be against them and yet he was there helping them.

"She can't know everything... Some of the information we have we literally just found!" Garrett argued, again trying to sit up, this time Aro allows it but does not appear happy about it. "Some of the information we have was only given before a  _ fucking _ building  _ fell _ on me!" Frustration jolted through his veins and his limbs jerked in a fashion reminiscent of reanimation as he tried to keep himself seated and his temper under control.

"Do you know everything? Did Aro tell you what he saw?" Garrett looks between Aro and Marcus but neither of them says anything. Marcus shakes his head and looks at a loss on what to say next. Garrett's anger was palpable and he was surely being cautious not to inflame his rage further. 

"Then how do you know that she knows everything? She only knows what I told her. If she knows more it probably isn't accurate or correct." It was easier to calm down now knowing Sulpicia was not, in fact, head to head with them. 

What exactly had she planned to do? Was she intent on severing the bond between he and Aro and would it be easier to just let her? If there was this much effort going into keeping him away from Aro maybe it would be for the best that they did part ways?

As though sensing such thoughts from him, Aro reached over and took Garrett's hand in his, his eyes searching Garrett's face for something and whatever he found left him with a grim expression. 

Had Aro searched his thoughts? What had he seen?

The sensation of his skin prickling at the very thought of having his thoughts read against his will left him feeling off. 

"What did you see?" It was a whisper and Aro shook his head in response as soon as he'd heard him. 

"I did not look. I trust you to speak your mind as you have done so far." 

How embarrassing to have Aro know exactly what he was thinking, it was something he was probably reminded of daily. Were there others out there afraid to take his hand for fear their manners or affection might be used against them? 

When he felt Aro move to release his hand from his grip Garrett quickly pulled it back and he held tightly assuring Aro he would not let go. He hoped this was an apology enough until they were alone. 

Again their moment was interrupted by Marcus who had cleared his throat again, Garrett found it ridiculously annoying but it occurred to him that Marcus believed it to be the most polite way to get their attention again. 

“Whatever she knows is already too much. It seems you have both decided that you wish to be together, and I want to help as much as possible to make that happen. I lost my love a long time ago and to see your relationship struggle dismays me greatly. There is a great love between you both and I would like for that to remain. 

It would bring me peace to see you both happy. Aro does not deserve to lose any more of those he cares deeply for.” There was definitely a story there but Garrett found himself unwilling to pry. If Aro or Marcus wished to speak on it they surely would when they were ready. 

When he turned to Aro the man looked positively ill as if he would rather be anywhere but there at that moment. Definitely a story behind Marcus’ words only, Garett could not work out if Marcus was intentionally saying these things or had no idea why Aro looked so uncomfortable. 

“Yeah… anyway… It might be best to find out exactly what she knows before we try and form a plan of action. Is there anyone who can ask her without raising suspicion?” It seemed he would be the one doing all the talking as Aro remained silent beside him. The selective mutism was unfortunate but Garrett was exactly floundering through this without his help. 

“There are those that have a deep allegiance to Aro. Ultimately they all fight for him and understand the consequences of working against him, but still, Sulpicia has her own informants that likely are willing to die for her.” This information didn’t feel like anything new to Garrett. It just felt as though they were starting a war that could have been avoided. 

Sulpicia had every right to fight for her husband. Although it seemed wildly illogical to fight for a man that no longer felt the same way as she did… unless she didn’t know. Had Aro actually told her he wanted to separate? 

It was and also was not any of his business. 

“Can you find someone you trust and who holds allegiance to Aro to find out?” Garrett pushed and Marcus relented with a nod and got to his feet. “If have any further news send Bianca you can trust her, I promise you. It might be better to have it look as though you are a neutral party.” Bianca would be fine. If a building could fall on her and she walked out without a scratch a fucking vampire couldn’t kill her with its measly venom. He had every faith in her and a curiosity regarding her abilities that he would sate with questions when he didn’t feel as though he was wearing a bullseye on his back. 

When Marcus left Garrett could only let out a breath as he let go of Aro’s hand and fell backwards onto the bed. Sitting up and talking was so hard and all he wanted to do was close his eyes and be unconscious for a few hours. Regeneration was slow going and he wasn’t sure how much more he could take, all he wanted was to be himself again and strong enough to defend himself. 

He got back into bed and closed his eyes though he was hyper-aware that Aro had not moved from where he sat and hadn’t said anything since Marcus mentioned that he had lost someone dear to him as well as Aro. 

Was it worth asking him about it? Garrett opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling above him for a short while contemplating asking the elder vampire to talk about it. 

There was no doubt about it Garrett would regret it but he couldn't help but worry about Aro and his sudden silence. If something played on his mind wouldn't it be better to talk about it?

Scoffing internally Garrett would remind himself later of that one when he needed to take his own advice. 

Still, he moved to sit up and slid a hand around Aro's upper arm giving it a squeeze to catch his attention. 

It worked and Aro turned his gaze to the hand around his upper arm before looking up to Garrett. It wasn't pleasant this look on Aro's face. Haunted eyes that seemed to be looking too far off into the past leaving Garrett unseen. 

"Are you with me?" 

"It is my fault Marcus is alone." Softer than summer breeze was the whisper that came forth from Aro's lips. Regret in every word was followed with a look so sorrowful that it surprised Garrett and he leaned forward to pull the other man into a tight embrace. The overwhelming urge to comfort Aro had surged through him unbidden but it felt right and he did not let go until he felt the elder vampire push him away. 

“I’m pretty sure you had nothing to do with Marcus’ wife… uh dying?” He hadn’t asked but the way Marcus had said it there could only be one meaning of ‘lost’ and it had to be that she had died. 

“I killed her.” 

Well, that would absolutely implicate him. 


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garrett is on the mend but now he seems to be having odd dreams... or visions, he had no idea but they leave him unnerved. 
> 
> However, he and Aro seemed to be getting on... swimmingly? 
> 
> After a chat with, the ever patient, Carlisle, Garrett realises that things might have been going too well for too long. 
> 
> A new quirk has been discovered regarding the bond which may just bring some fun to the couple.

##  Chapter Eighteen 

_I wanted to take you_

_From those robes to feel the cold_

_Undressing the blessings_

_Feels like my afterlife_

  


There was no way he could justify this not even for a single second and so, with his eyes closed as though it would help, Garrett spoke.

“Why did you kill her?” That was the question that brought Aro fully back to the present and his face hardened. The scowl wasn’t any different to the scowl he had given Garrett in previous prickly conversations but it didn’t mean it was any more welcome than before. 

"You could never understand what some must do to protect power and the integrity of a coven. I did what I had to in order to keep the power secure." With such ice in Aro's voice, Garrett near froze but he refused to be pulled in by it. Not allowing himself to be cowed by the tone Garrett just shook his head.

"As much as I would _love_ to discuss this right now, I just do not have the energy. Let me rest and then you can justify your murderous inclinations." Lying down Garrett waited in silence for ire to engulf him like flames but nothing came. He assumed Aro sat seething with rage and was surprised when instead he lay beside Garrett with an arm slung over him to keep him close.

"You truly test the boundaries of my patience." It came out as a growl and it was quite possibly meant to sound dangerous. Garrett smiled to himself, he couldn't find it in him to be afraid of Aro… because who would be seething and still lie down beside someone instead of storming off to cool down? 

> _There was a hallway ahead of him. Dark yet unassuming as though night had only just fallen. No pictures on the walls only unlit lamps and there are no doors on either side for as far as he could see in the gloom._
> 
> _Garrett takes a step and then another until he is at a steady pace and soon he is running. The hallway seems never-ending and the faster he goes the longer it seems._
> 
> _There is nothing ahead of him that implies the place has an end. There is only darkness, no door or light at "the end of the tunnel"._
> 
> _He can hear something, a distance chattering or whisper of conversation. Several voices all speaking at the same time. As he runs the voices get louder and more urgent until they are shouting. It is only then he can hear what they're saying… they are calling out to him to run faster to find her find her find her FIND HER!_
> 
> _There is a burst of light and Garrett finds himself smashing through a wall and into a bright street the sun pouring over the buildings and pathways._
> 
> _He does not stop to take in the sights and his feet pound against the dusty road as he continues to run. He comes to a square and stops finally._
> 
> _In the centre stands a spinning wheel much like the one in the room of threads. Someone is spinning there, and when they look up to see who has entered the square Garrett sees it is Bianca._
> 
> _Her expression was indistinguishable._
> 
> _As soon as he takes a step forward the entire place is filled with thread stretching out before him and his vision of Bianca is obscured._
> 
> _Picking his way through the sea of red he hears the sound of material tearing and as he turns to his right Sulpicia is cutting through a mass of thread. As the scissors cut through them they shrivel up and float to the floor, the vibrant red fading to grey._
> 
> _She seems erratic in her cutting and it has no rhyme or reason when finding which to cut. That is until she reaches a patch of white and her frenzy stops and she becomes methodical._
> 
> _She plucks a string and Garrett feels the vibration through his entire being. She glances to him and with a sweet smile raises the scissors to the thread and cuts it clean away from the others._

Gasping in shock Garrett wakes and rolls onto his other side away from Aro who watches this action with a frown. 

The elder vampire had not been sleeping, and for a moment it had unnerved Garrett to see his red gaze blinking back at him when he first woke. 

In all honesty, he had not quite grown accustomed to having someone beside him like this. 

And if he was still being honest, he had believed the gaze belonged to Sulpicia. He was thankful it was not. But now, due to his sudden waking, Aro was sitting up trying to force him to speak to him. 

"I'm fine. It was just a weird dream." When Aro persisted Garrett rolled onto his back and offered Aro his hand. 

"Are you all ready so lazy that you cannot speak to me with words?" Aro groused and he shoved Garrett, albeit not hard but enough to vent frustration. The action came across a playful more than anything else. 

"Depends, do you want to see what happened in perfect clarity or do you want me to, and without eloquence, stumble half-asleep through a dream I'm starting to forget?" 

"I suppose if you're alright we needn't press the matter," The sky outside was shot with gold and purple implying the sun was going down. "In any case, you've slept long enough. I'm sure you've regenerated enough to hunt." While it had sounded like a suggestion, Garrett took it as a request for him to go out and leave Aro alone for a short while which he gladly accepted. 

"Good idea, well… I'll be back later then." There was an awkward exchange of goodbyes before Garrett left the room and headed down the stairs relishing in the fact that he no longer needed assistance in getting from one floor to another.

"Hey, handsome! Look at you all stood upright and walking unaided." Bianca was out of her seat before Garrett could say a word. A glance at the clock on the wall showed it was 5pm on the dot, quitting time for someone. 

"You look so much better. All those awful holes in your face are gone and your skin looks...well as normal as a vampire's complexion can." He took it as a compliment and gifted Bianca with a bright smile which she returned without hesitation. 

"I finally rested up like I was supposed to. Aro can stop nagging me now." 

"Oh, I'm sure he will do no such thing. It really is wild how much he cares for you. I… I admit that when I first saw your bond connecting I had a hard time imagining how you two would fit together." 

Now that was something he could understand wholeheartedly. 

"Everyone feels the same as you did. I think we're still on that page, to be honest. We are so different that we will probably clash until we learn about each other." It was only then he realised that he really shouldn't be talking about it out in the open. 

Anyone could have been listening. 

Especially Aro… 

“I have to go out but let’s catch up later?” He was trying hard not to be on edge after his dream. It was only now that he realised talking about it would have helped and that was what his previous jab at himself was about earlier. 

Really, he had to start taking his own advice. 

Bianca seemed caught off guard at his sudden need to depart but she nodded not wanting to make him linger. She seemed to want to say something but held her tongue and for that, Garrett was eternally grateful. 

Hunting was a quick job. The city was alive that night and it was easy to find revellers who stumbled across his path and he made the most of the easiest opportunities. All the while his thoughts would return to the dream and what it could have meant. In hindsight, asking Bianca and talking to Aro probably would have helped a lot but he was just now realising he was an idiot who had not really had all that many people to rely on until now. 

Carlisle was waiting for him at the end of a darkened alley when Garrett felt the urge to return to the coven house. They greeted one another with a smile and they headed back up to the main square together. 

"You look better. It is amazing what rest can do when you actually do as you're told." Not the first person to comment on such and probably not the last but seeing as it came from his closest friend Garrett let it slide. 

"I don't want to bring this up but you seem tense. Is there something on your mind?" 

There was. What with his dream and Aro spending so much time with him… he was beginning to feel like he needed to leave Volterra again. 

"Just because I have Aro and Marcus protecting me here doesn't mean I'm safe. I just have this feeling of dread like the troubles aren't over and there is danger lurking around every corner." It might have seemed a little odd that he was so concerned for his safety but for days he hadn't been at full strength and that might have been where the issue lay. He couldn't really be sure. 

"Perhaps you're just feeling guilty. You're staying in the same house as his wife. You are the mistress of sorts…" Unhelpful! When Garrett shot Carlisle a glare the blond could only laugh and apologise. Regardless of how true that might have been, he did not want to hear it. 

With a huffed sigh Garrett relented and nodded looking to Carlise hoping his expression seemed one of remorse. Of course, he felt guilty about the whole thing… even though none of this was his fault he had still followed through with it. 

"Do you think I should try and find a way to break the bond still?" The question went unanswered for some time as they entered the square leading to the coven house. 

"That is not for me to say. I cannot answer for you or Aro and, frankly, I would not want to." It was a fair answer and Garrett let his shoulders slump as though defeated. Any guidance at this point would have been welcome even in the form of personal opinion.

"Just… still worried that my feelings are the bond and not me." 

"I'm sorry. I can't help you there. You said you wanted him, is that not enough for now?" As gentle as he had said it the statement still affronted Garrett and he sneered at Carlisle. As soon as it had happened Garret stopped walking having to still himself to let what happened sink in. Widening his eyes at his friend he was surprised by his own actions. 

"I don't know why I did that. I'm sorry, Carlisle." Garrett watched as the blond waved away his apology showing he had not been affected in the slightest. 

"That answers my question, though. You definitely feel strongly about him otherwise my words would not have bothered you." 

They began walking again and Garrett remained quiet as they entered the coven house. There was much to think on now, he had been quite sure of his feelings earlier but his conversation with Carlisle had only muddied his thoughts into a mire that felt indecipherable. 

"Can you spare the time to talk with me or are you off to do other things?" 'Other things' absolutely meant Aro in this situation. But so far he hadn't felt the pull to return to his side and so Garrett followed Carlisle to the library where they sat and chatted idly for some time. 

It was nice to while away the hours with a friend talking of nothing or reminiscing. Garrett didn't feel so keyed up now even though his thoughts were still a mess of 'what ifs' and 'what next?'. 

"Have you seen Sulpicia since you got here?" Garrett asked as he scanned the library realising for the first time that they had appeared to be the only ones using the room for quite some time. 

Carlisle shifted uncomfortably in his seat before replying. 

"You mean since she was publicly humiliated by her husband?” 

“Blech, don’t say that. Sulpicia is made of stronger stuff than that.”

“So are you if you dare say her name so openly here, be careful you might summon her if you continue to be so brave.”

“You think it would?”

“Oh, I shouldn’t think so. But no, I have not seen her for a few days.” 

That did not really bode all too well for Garrett. It came across as far worse that she wasn’t there using that whip-like tongue of hers to pull him to rank as she had tried to do so several times already. 

“Urgh,” Garrett ran a hand through his hair managing to hold back from pulling tufts of it out in frustration. On edge again and that was all he needed right then, the looming feeling of dread hanging over him like a rain cloud each day until Sulpicia took her revenge. 

That had to be what she was doing, right? 

Though it seemed unfair to assume such things- his dream was just a dream, and not a vision as far as he was aware. Perhaps he had nothing to fear? 

There was no chance to voice this as he felt a strange tugging sensation inside him and an ache followed soon after. An overwhelming sense of loneliness came over him and he shivered as his skin prickled. 

“I… need to go.” Garrett got to his feet without another word to Carlise who only nodded and watched as his friend vanished from sight past rows and rows of bookshelves and out of the library door. 

The feeling only intensified as he walked down the hall to the foot of the stairs, Taking a step up he moved deliberately slowly realising, as he climbed to the next floor, what the feeling was. 

There was no denying the satisfying joy it gave him to know that Aro was missing his presence beside him- oh this new quirk through their bond was truly delicious. Would it work the other way round? 

Only time would tell. 

When he reached the top of the stairs he stalked toward the door to his room and pushed it open. There, sat on the sofa by the window, was a very tightly wound coven leader reading what had to be the oldest looking book Garrett had ever laid eyes on. 

“Missing me were we?”


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get a little hot for a second and Garrett does something most out of character as well as bringing something up that Aro would rather keep quiet. 
> 
> An uninvited guest makes themselves known and Garrett is not quite prepared for who it is.

##  Chapter Nineteen 

_ And I know you don't know oh, but I need you to be brave _

_ Hiding from the truth ain't gonna make this all okay _

  
  


Such a withering look Garrett received from his words, but he took it in his stride as he entered the room and closed the door behind him.

“You were gone a matter of hours, it is hard to miss anyone after such short a time.” As Aro spoke in his perfectly monotonous tone he returned to reading his book  _ absolutely unaffected _ by Garrett's sudden appearance.

This just would not do. Not after he had worked out that Aro, the fierce and cunning leader of the most powerful coven in the world, had been pining for him. If he didn't think it would earn him a smack in the mouth Garrett would have crowed with delight!

"Do find something to do. It is irritating seeing you stand there looking useless." Aro didn't look up from his book this time, and his long-suffering tone severely put on Garrett concluded. There was nothing for it, he had to take the man down a peg or two, there had to be an exchange of power somewhere... the room he had been gifted with would do well enough.

With such a thought in mind, Garrett strode across the room and grabbed the book from Aro's hands and tossed it aside without a single care for any damage it may sustain in its descent to the floor. It landed with a dull  _ thud  _ but all of that was lost on them both as Garrett reached out again and pulled Aro to his feet by front of his shirt. Tugging the elder vampire closer Garrett leaned in and whispered in his ear.

"You're being particularly bratty today." The change in Aro's demeanour was gradual but only truly took seconds as he cycled through several emotions.

Outrage first, because Garrett knew the elder was thinking how he dared have the  _ gall _ to speak to him in such a way. Then came confusion as to  _ why  _ he had said such a thing. Finally, realisation, as it dawned on him Garrett, was only half joking with him.

"What exactly do you think you will get out of this speaking to me in such a manner?" There it was the uncertainty that cracked his voice and left him sounding less confident than before. The words came out near breathless to the point it could have been missed. Garrett had not missed it, he had heard the quiver in his words and the air pushed out from between waiting lips that gave away the beginnings of arousal. 

"Oh no, no. You're not asking the questions today." Releasing his grip on Aro's shirt he closed the space between them almost instantly as he drew the other man into a deep and bruising kiss. 

When they parted Garrett could only smirk and he tucked an errant strand of dark hair behind Aro's ear. 

"You just look pretty and answer all of my questions, ok?" It wasn't a statement Aro needed to respond to but he nodded. Apparently rendered mute but when Garrett raised a brow at him a stuttering yet rushed 'yessir' tumbled out. 

Gods, the fucking thrill of it. Aro was captivating like this with his eyes wide looking up at him with such worship. 

Could he take advantage of this situation and this power he held over Aro to get some answers?

"All right, you're doing so well already. You look so lovely like this." Garrett heaped on the praise as he lifted a hand to tilt Aro's chin higher and he pressed a softer kiss to his lips this time. "You're a good boy." His words were whispered and they ghosted over Aro's lips as he pulled back.

That was all Aro needed for his composure to completely evaporate. Pride swelled in Garrett's chest as he watched Aro blink slowly up at him, his chin still tilted up so their eyes were locked. How dazed and dream like Aro seemed at that moment, as though all responsibility had been shed from his being and melted into nothing.

"Do you like hearing that? Hmm?" A truly stunning sight it was already so addicting. When Aro did not respond Garrett moved his hand to lightly squeeze Aro's jaw reminding him that he must answer his questions.

"Well?"

Fluttering lashes and another rushed and breathy 'yessir.'

Oh, this was just too good. What had he done to deserve an opportunity like this one?

"Since you're such a good boy, you won't have any issues telling me about why you killed the wife of your coven brother, right?" His response was a nod but he could see that the dream like state Aro had been in not moments ago was gone and replaced with panic. Garrett could feel Aro's jaw twitch in his hand. "Aaahh, no one has tried this on you have they? But you're going to answer me, aren't you?" Another nod and with that Garrett releases Aro's jaw and instinctively the elder vampire looks away as though needing a brief reprieve from Garrett's gaze.

"Tell me her name,"

"Didyme." An instant response, Aro was trying to please him and it was working.

"Why did you want her dead?" Garrett tore open Aro's shirt and buttons skittered across the stone floor. Any response Aro had was halted as he scrambled to cover himself his expression hot with anger now poised like a viper to spit venom in Garrett's direction.

Surprisingly, he still answered the question he still followed the rules.

"She and Marcus wanted to leave the coven. I couldn't let him leave, not with the gift he possessed he was too useful." His scowl did not leave his face and he held his shirt closed, Garrett circled the man for a moment before deciding his next move.

It was a make or break situation with what he had in mind.

In one swift movement Garrett had Aro on the bed back to the mattress, he pressed his knee between the man's thighs a silent order for him to part his legs. Aro's lips were parted slightly now and paired with the heavy-lidded look of lust he was a picture of debauchery.

"Do not fight against me again, if there is something you do not like you simply need to tell me and the game stops." Garrett licked a stripe up Aro's neck before moving off the bed and getting to his feet. For a moment he merely stands with his back to Aro letting the past few moments between them sink in.

"So-" Garrett turned to face Aro, who had not moved a single inch since he had been thrown onto the bed, he was ridiculously alluring like this. -"It hurt you to kill her. Was she close to you, a good friend or did you love her, in your mind, more than Marcus could?" Silence. Garrett clicked his tongue and shook his head disappointed in his mate for breaking the rules.

"I am allowing you to speak freely, you can say whatever you like as long as you answer my questions."

"She was my sister..." Aro spoke around the words thickly but it was rage, not sorrow that near stifled his words into silence. "I told them they could leave, I gave them my blessing. In the night she came to me, she gave me her love and thanked me for letting her go... I tore her head from her shoulders- but these are the truly horrific acts you must take upon yourself to remain the seat of power in this cruel and disgusting world!" The words were spat out as though it pained him to speak them. As though there was no other way to rid himself of the bile inside him but to force it through gritted teeth.

Garrett sighed, there was no coming back from this really. Aro had absolutely shown his true colours and while the Volturi knew how blood-thirsty he could be they probably didn't see this coming. Did Marcus know?

From their earlier conversation, it didn't sound like he had any idea.

To murder his own sister…

The elder vampire still lay prone on the bed his shirt torn open and hair in disarray from their earlier tryst and his furious tirade. Garrett couldn't take his eyes off him as he moved to pull his own shirt off after disposing of his jacket first.

"Just what am I going to do with you?" This was spoken lightly and with slight amusement as he climbed onto the bed. He nudged Aro's legs apart with his knees and knelt between them. 

Aro squirmed beneath him but he did not resist him and did not break eye contact with him. Even when Garrett slid a hand up his side before letting his nails rake back down over the smooth and flawless white of his skin. 

"Your justification for murder seems pretty flimsy to me." Aro opened his mouth to argue but only a gasping moan comes out as at that moment Garrett strokes the space between Aro's legs silencing any argument that might have ensued from Garrett's comments. 

"Yeah. You are just like any other guy. When it all comes down to it pleasure overrides most of your thought processes." An easy taunt but it seemed to slide right off Aro like he had not even heard Garrett speak at all. It was a perfect opportunity to flip him onto his front which earned Garrett a delightful yelp but nothing more. Clearly, Aro was trying to save his dignity as best he could while Garrett stripped him off with ease, the man beneath him was more a ragdoll at that moment and offered no resistance to his whims.

"Aha, so good. You're just so good." Garrett surprised himself when his voice came out more a deep purr than the voice of a man, but it certainly did something to Aro who glanced over his shoulder looking near scandalised yet the faintest pink flush graced his cheeks before he buried his face into a pillow. "You're so shy, didn't take you for such a man. Where did all the power and dominance go?"

" As I said earlier...Your justification for murder seems pretty flimsy to me. I don't see this as you securing the seat of power within the Volturi. I think you saw your sister being happy without you. And then in a fit of rage, you killed her-" He pauses to slide a hand over the smooth expanse of Aro's bare thighs enjoying the view as the man quivered with every inch of him he covered.

"... and now you have to spend all your years alive convincing yourself that you did what was needed to protect the coven from looking weak. But you did this yourself and deep down you know you're a terrible person because-" Garrett slid a hand under him his fingers curling around Aro’s cock earning a muffled sob from the elder vampire whose hips bucked into the touch. "-you murdered your sister out of sheer jealousy. She was happy and you weren't! You've never been happy and now that you are you have to face the consequences of your actions and face your past deeds head on."

There was a moment where Aro seemed to be trying to speak but he could scarcely lift his face from the pillow and Garrett assumed it was from sheer mortification from being so easily dominated. 

Though, if at any point Aro had pushed him away or had asked him to stop he would have. So, to ensure this was all within the realms of consent he pulled away and climbed off the bed. 

It took only a moment for Aro to turn over and sit up looking slightly confused as to why Garrett had stopped torturing him.

“Don’t have it in you to continue? I assumed being dominating wasn’t for you and you seemed to have proved me right.” The bored drawl of his words enflamed the lust within Garrett that had been petering out. 

Not wanting to let this be easy bait Garrett felt it best to explain himself though he had to look away from the glorious nude man sat on the bed looking rather put out by the whole thing. 

Typical bratty behaviour from a sub and Garrett rolled his eyes as he turned away. He hadn’t realised how attracted to Aro he actually was- this was the first man he had ever seen nude in this capacity aside from accidentally walking in on someone but that wasn’t really the same. 

And he had always understood that men were beautiful and handsome, he had eyes and common sense. A perfect example of seeing a handsome man and not being attracted to him was his best friend, Carlisle was amazingly good looking but he felt nothing for him other than a deep friendship. With Aro it was different he couldn't quite describe it, hopefully, one day he could and it would make sense... failing that he could ask Carlisle.

"Well?" Aro pushed his voice breaking the silence suddenly with a demanding tone causing Garrett to clench his fists as he fought for composure. 

"Listen you little brat- Ah, Aro, please, don't be like this. I'm trying to be serious. I stopped because it was never established that you even wanted this. I need to know that even if you don't resist that this is all ok." When Garrett felt as though he was able to, without an iron will, he turned to face Aro who looked thoughtful and if not a little surprised by the exchange.

"I see your point. I just assumed that, should I be unhappy with you in any way while doing such a thing, you would stop if I told you to. However, if you did not you would not live to see the end of the day. So, I believe, as you Americans say, that covers all bases." His smile was devious when he saw Garrett's shoulders slump in relief.

"Yeah, but uh, we're going to have to talk about where you get your sexual thrills from. You're a very dark man getting all hot and bothered while I talk about how you killed your own sister." The mood in the room dropped from playful to something entirely different and Garrett wondered if this was where he had finally overstepped?

"I've not spoken to anyone about Didyme. I mourned her the way a brother should. Speaking on her now seems forbidden- I did not enjoy killing her and I don't enjoy speaking about what I did. You took me off guard, Garrett. I don't want you to bring her up again." The serious tone was different to the way he had heard Aro speak before, he wasn't angry he just sounded so incredibly tired.

Alright, we won't talk about her again," It was easy to agree with him when he looked so worn out. Garrett made his way to the bed and sat on the edge wondering where they were supposed to go from there, he was sure neither of them was in the mood to play anymore.

Pale arms slid around his waist as Aro moved toward him resting against Garrett from behind, his forehead between Garrett's shoulder blades.

"How dare you make me open up in such a way, and without a stitch of clothing on me."

"You can get dressed if you want-" The conversation ended there when a commotion was heard from outside the room, several voices were arguing in the hallway and the sound of boots scrambling against the stone floors. Someone cried out in pain and Bianca's familiar voice could be heard calling out for someone to stop and to calm down.

Both men in the room get to their feet and Garrett throws Aro's clothes at him including the, now, buttonless shirt that was hanging over the back of the desk chair across the room. Garrett blocked the Volturi leader from the door in case the fight outside spilled into the room unexpectedly. Before he could even begin to move toward the door Bianca burst in wide-eyed a flash of blonde hair behind her as she flew to Garrett's side.

"I couldn't stop her. She shocked Demetri by just touching him!"

Aro was at Garrett's side fully dressed, his suit jacket holding his broken shirt closed, thankfully.

Something about Bianca’s statement stuck something inside him that seemed oddly familiar. 

It took several moments for him to process just what it was. 

"Shocked- wait... Kate is here?"


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate and Garrett leave the city to talk, they don't go far but Garrett isn't comfortable with having this conversation close to the Volturi. 
> 
> While it is unavoidable Garrett still isn't happy with telling her everything regardless of how much he thinks she deserves the truth. 
> 
> They end up testing out a theory with a small experiment.

##  Chapter Twenty

_ I think it's time for you to know the awful truth _

_ The truth about me, and the truth about you. _

  
  


“I didn’t ask her name she barged in looking for you!” Bianca clung to Garrett’s arm all the while looking nervously out of the door where Carlisle grappled with Kate to subdue her. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Aro watching Carlisle and the intruder with great interest. 

This was just entertainment to him, Aro had no reason to be afraid of the fight out in the hallway. 

Sliding from Bianca's grip, Garrett strode across the room and out into the hallway where Carlisle struggled to remain a safe distance from Kate's hands. 

At the sound of boots on stone, Kate whirled round to face her next opponent stopping suddenly with one hand outstretched a small spark crackling over her fingertips. 

"Garrett…." She breathed, quietly relieved to see him in one piece probably. Their reunion should have been more than this but as she threw her arms around him to press a kiss to his lips he found himself jerking away from her. 

Confusion flooded her features and she glanced behind Garrett to see Aro stood with Bianca both looking back at her. Aro with unreserved glee at the scene unfolding while Bianca seemed hesitant to do anything other than look at the blonde. 

"What are you doing here, Kate?" There was no denying he was happy to see her and the feelings of attraction for her fluttered back to life. Kate hadn't moved her arms from around Garrett and she leaned in resting her cheek on his chest, sighing contentedly. 

"I came to rescue you from those dusty vultures." Her response quiet but still full disdain when referring to the Volturi. "Just in time too, that man looks ready to pick your bones clean." 

How awkward to be stood between the two. But he could not deny that it felt nice to have Kate close again her softness felt soothing to him after Aro though, in all honesty, he could not say he was in love with both of them. 

There was still only one. 

Kate was not soft in the sense of her personality but in her care for him. She came to save him and put her safety last, even though she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Garrett owed her an honest explanation of what was going on, she deserved that much at least. 

"Something doesn't feel right about all of this but I really don't want to talk with  _ him  _ around." She peered over Garrett's shoulder on her tiptoes and stared at Aro. 

"You should be careful at how disrespectful you are to him. I have already been smacked in the mouth for being rude. Definitely not tolerated here so we need best behaviour Kate to make an appearance until he's gone, all right?" He tried for soft and calm but it came across as slightly patronising and somewhat pleading and he watched Kate bristle at the tone as she separated herself from him giving him the once over. 

"I'm fine, Katie. Come on… let's go out." The use of a pet name worked wonders and they both left down the stairs. Garrett glanced over his shoulder as they were leaving seeing Aro's unreadable expression for a moment before Carlisle blocked his view as he entered the room and shut the door. 

Outside Kate took his hand and he made an attempt to playfully slip away his hand from hers. It felt like walking on a knife's edge the apprehension that filled his entire being all because he knew that she had to know the truth. 

“You’ve risked a lot in coming here,” Garrett started quite unsure how to carry on. This really was not expected even if it was the right time to tell her and even if it hurt Kate there was no avoiding it now. “Why did you come?” 

The look he received was deserved, the ‘What are you? An idiot?’ kind of expression that needed no words and was reserved for the best and brightest of morons which was exactly what Garrett felt he was at that moment. 

“You’ve been here for weeks, Garrett. Everyone was worried. The Cullen’s have no idea what is going on besides Carlisle and Esme, and they’re closed books when it comes to secrets belonging to someone else!

I hadn’t seen you and, honestly, I thought you might have been dead. So I had to come and find out… I just had to know you were ok and safe. Don’t you want to come home?” Home. How long had it been since he started thinking of Volterra as his home- it might have only been a few days but it felt natural to think it. 

Stunned by his own thoughts he took a step back and shook his head as if able to shake the thoughts from his mind with such an action. Volterra was not his home!

But it felt like it with Aro there. 

“Katie…” He trailed off knowing the sadness in his voice could not be explained away with anything other than the absolute truth. “... Volterra is my home for now. I don’t want to be here forever but for now, it will be where I’m staying until I figure some stuff out.” There he’d said it but had not explained why he wanted to remain in the Italian city- that would come soon enough and the fallout would be nuclear. 

Who wouldn’t be angry or upset hearing that the person they loved vanished off for weeks and reappeared only to be in love with someone else?! 

“Are you being serious?” This was spoken softly a far cry from what Garrett had expected but not any better. At least with rage, he knew the emotion as it was displayed plainly for anyone to see. “Tell me you’re not really staying here… what is keeping you here and away from your true home?” Again with the gentle tone but her words pleading to him now, begging him to reconsider his decision. 

Not wanting to do this right in the square in front of the coven house Garrett coaxed Kate into walking with him into town. He had no idea what time it was or what day it was even, he hadn’t followed real-life for weeks. Time blurred together into one long day of alternating dark and light skies and one problem after another. 

To broach the subject took some will power on his part. How would he even begin to tell her she wouldn't be returning to the Denali clan with him in tow? 

"You know I can't help but feel like you're going to tell me something I don't want to hear." The smile in her voice was bitter and Garrett didn't make a move to look at her as they walked the streets together. 

For an age they walked in silence until they left the city and Garrett felt the faint tug of his bond connecting him to Aro. They stopped ending up idling by an empty field both of them leaning against the fence staring out at the grassy expanse before them that swayed in the light breeze. 

For the duration of the walk, Garrett had considered Kate's words. He wanted to believe she was perceptive but it was obvious no good was going to come from this conversation from the get-go. 

"You're right about not wanting to hear this. You're really not going to like it at all…" Tearing his gaze from the field Garrett looked at Kate but she did not move to do the same instead she continued to stare out across the grass unmoving and waiting to hear what she did not want to hear from him. 

"I'm in love with someone else." 

It had been expected, he could tell by her expression. And as the sun rose her face was lit up with gold and she sparkled ever so slightly as unshed tears filled her eyes. 

"That easy to replace, huh? Did you even think of me in the 14 days you've been away from me?" 

“Of course I thought about you!”

“How many seconds?” She spat a grimace forming as she looked up at him with hurt clear in her eyes. The unshed tears lingered and could not be moved regardless of how often she blinked them away. 

Awful how accurate she was in her assumptions. Kate was a second thought, a mere blip on his radar- her spark dwarfed by Aro who had so easily become the sun. 

He hadn't been fair to her at all. 

"You don't deserve this, I know that. It's a mess and I tried so hard to avoid it and I know that doesn't mean anything to you and it shouldn't!" Frustration spiked through him guilt following close behind to like salt in wounds to remind him of his actions. There had to be more than this that could be offered instead of words that sounded hollow and cliche. 

"It won't fix anything and I'm not telling you this for forgiveness. You are not obligated to do anything for me but please listen and let me explain what has happened in the past 14 days." There was no way to describe how desperate he felt it was like clinging to a rope as each fibre snapped and all he could do was pray that the chasm he would fall into offered him a quick and painless death. 

"Just talk, Garrett. At least let me hear your feeble attempt of an explanation and allow me the grace of making a decision for myself." It was more of a chance than he should have been given but he took it with both hands, his grip tight. 

So he told her. Everything. 

It was exhausting but if anyone needed to know it all it was Kate. To her credit, she did not react until he was finally done.

For the most part, she had seemed calm almost understanding and when she spoke there was very little volume to her voice as though afraid her words would carry too far. 

"You're telling me some ancient magic from the universe is controlling who you fall for?" Obviously, she didn't sound convinced and Garrett couldn't blame her because he had been the exact same when it had all first began. 

"It sounds ridiculous, I know. It took me nearly petrifying to believe." It hadn't but it seemed better than admitting that he had been convinced by just talking to Aro in dreams and reality. 

"You don't have to believe me but I have no reason to lie to you." As he spoke again the familiar tug of the bond turned his thoughts to Aro and frustration bloomed in his chest but it was not his feelings he was experiencing. 

Someone was unhappy back at the coven house. Unhappy with Garrett.

"It just feels like you're trying to get rid of me because I was an afterthought you assumed wouldn't crop up in your life again." Kate's voice drew him back to the present moment. 

"Yeah, it does… but I promise it isn't. I didn't want this and there are times when I think I need to do more to separate myself from Aro but the thought just kills me. 

Katie I don't want to leave him again. I love him…" not his finest moment admitting to someone who he had wanted to spend his life with that it was no longer the case. 

"God, I hate this. I really hate it, Garrett. It just sounds so stupid everything you're saying but you have no reason to lie!" The true turmoil in her words was stark. Her hair fell over her face as she looked to her feet and she balled her hands into fists to reign in her upset- small sparks flickered over the skin on the back of her hands for a spell before fading away. 

Eventually, she looked up to Garrett again pinning him with a hard glare her whole expression now one of steely determination. 

"If you're really telling the truth I want to see it. I want to see how you are with him… how long you can stand to be apart and what your reunion is like. 

Let me see how real this is. 

Does love make the hurt intensify when you're so close but cannot reach to touch him?" Her demands made Garrett uncomfortable and part of him wanted to outright refuse her. It seemed invasive and oddly… unhealthy to want to see such a thing even if he understood, somewhat, why she had requested such. 

“Well… if that is what you really want, but Katie I don’t know if that is a good idea. Especially seeing as you attacked the Volturi guard earlier just to find me.” 

“Maybe so but I don’t see them exacting revenge on me at the moment.”

She was right about that, of course, if it had been an issue Aro would have had her head. And so far they had been allowed to wander the city and even out of it. Enough time had passed for them to have caught up and take Kate prisoner. 

Garrett expected that Aro saw this as more of a game and proof he would trust Garrett in such situations. Even after the pang of frustration that had been Aro’s from earlier nothing had happened. 

“Make him come to you.” The suggestion sounded casual though it was anything but. This was a challenge- but what did she think would happen if Aro did not appear? Was Kate’s assumption that after being caught out Garrett would return to her side or was this all for some kind of painful closure?

To him, closure did not exist. Revisiting something traumatic to close the book on it never worked… it just reopened old wounds and poured salt right into them. A reminder that the past cannot change. 

He hadn’t agreed but they ended up sitting on the floor backs against the fence waiting to see if Aro would show up, and if he was honest, Garrett was curious to see if he would. 

The insistent tug he felt within started up and as though on automatic he moved to get up but stilled himself when Kate’s head whipped around to glare at him reminding him that he had to stay put. 

“When I got here and you looked unharmed and even surprised to see me, I thought that they had brainwashed you,” Fair assumption from her really, who wouldn’t think the same thing? 

“And now?” Garrett watched Kate’s face as it changed from the bitterly amused expression to something akin to exhaustion as she considered things. 

“Now I just feel like a fool,” When she looked up to him she shrugged but her gaze soon moved past him and she leaned forward before sighing. Looking around Garrett saw Aro walking towards them at a leisurely pace. 

Once he was close enough to speak to them without humans finding them suspicious he made it quite clear he was unhappy with being out in the morning light. 

“This bond shall be the death of you,” Aro began his voice low as though truly angry, his red gaze flicks to Kate for a split second before returning to Garrett as he searched his face for something. “I do not appreciate being summoned here by something I cannot physically ignore.” 

Well, that was new- he had no idea that could even be done. Maybe it would be worth speaking to Bianca and have her shed some light on this later?

Did she even know much about it other than how it had been formed? 

If the bond could do that, what else could it do?

“You say you don’t appreciate it and yet here you are.” Garrett grinned as he pointed this out and Aro merely returned the smile with a scowl but he reached out to Garrett and pulled him to his feet. 

“Shut up and just come back to the coven house already. You,” He looked past Garrett to Kate who still sat in the grass, her blonde hair ruffling lightly in the soft breeze blowing from across the field behind her, “You are welcome to the coven house we have much to speak on and a reprimand awaits you.” 

Her only response was a nod as she got to her feet, her eyes taking in the image of Aro holding Garrett’s hand as they stood close to one another, close enough for Aro to rest against the taller man as he spoke to her. 

He said nothing more and turned to walk back into the city with Garrett at his side.   


When Garrett looked back at Kate her face was blank and stayed a few steps behind them the entire way back. 


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate is up on trial before the elders of the coven... but it doesn't go quite how she assumed it would and Garrett is no longer surprised by anything the Volturi throw at him. 
> 
> A heart to heart is had in a hallway and Kate finally says goodbye to Garrett.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long gap between posting for anyone still following this!
> 
> I took a break and ended up playing video games and doing some art. 
> 
> However, I have returned with a new chapter and another one already in the works. 
> 
> Please enjoy!

##  Chapter Twenty One 

_ Well I never really thought that you'd come tonight _

_ When the crown hangs heavy on either side _

  
  


The three of them were greeted brightly by Bianca as they stepped into the lobby. Though, she did eye Kate warily afterwards but realised that she posed no threat when Kate hurried past her.

"My brothers and the assaulted await you, Kate. Best not make them wait for you." Aro directed the blonde with a rather friendly tone which Garrett couldn't discern whether was real or put on.

Without argument, Kate moved past them and down the hallway towards the main chamber. She had accepted her fate, whatever it was, and chose to be strong and yet Garrett couldn’t help but follow her to be there to defend her.

His hand slipped from Aro’s with ease. Looking back he saw the elder watching him as he walked away, the expression on his face soft as though perfectly happy with what was happening between them.

“I will come find you later,” Garrett whispered and Aro nodded before turning on his heel walking off in the opposite direction. It seemed odd at that moment to see Aro remove himself from such proceedings but Garrett didn’t have time to question it.

Instead, he caught up with Kate and stood by her side as they both entered the chamber.

Caius and Marcus were seated in the chairs set up at the back of the room. Caius looked sullen as he always did and Marcus merely looked upon the two of them as they approached with great interest.

The ‘assaulted’ Demetri stood off to the side glaring at Kate who outright ignored him her attention on the elder vampires and nothing else. Garrett doesn’t speak and he does not greet either of the men. This was not his fight but he would be there to support Kate if anything should go awry.

“Kate, of the Denali clan, such a headstrong one to come here and attack our people without provocation.” Gods Caius sounded bored as he spoke- had he always sounded like that or was this trial so close to peak monotony that he could scarcely handle it any longer?

Taking in the rest of the room, Garrett noticed there were very few spectators, Jane and Alec stood in front of Demetri as though to hold him back from taking revenge on Kate, but aside from that, it was only himself, Kate and the elders before him.

Had Aro arranged this?

Was this merely for show, would Kate be safe?

“What do you have to say for your actions here?” Marcus asks quietly, he sounded equally as bored.

That was when the realisation struck Garrett like a thunderbolt.

This wasn’t anything, this was the equivalent of a human going to court for a parking ticket! The reason Aro was not there to oversee such a trial was that he didn’t care at all- they were upholding the law as required but no one cared.

The sneaky coven leader had delegated the work to his brothers because he just couldn’t be bothered to show up. Demetri was the only one baying for justice while everyone else just wanted to get on with their day.

Kate was just an inconvenience to their plans.

Rolling his eyes Garrett let out a loud sigh before turning away from the scene to walk out of the chamber. He heard someone gasp behind him and assumed it was Kate he threw a look over his shoulder directed at her before saying,

“They don’t care, Kate. Just say you’re sorry and you won’t do it again and go home.”

Caius near choked as he spluttered through several unintelligible admonishments- he threw out a hand to still Garrett, who politely stopped and turned to face the blond with a small smile on his face.

“Be that as it may, there isn’t any need to say it like that!” Caius called out his perfect hair falling over his face as he tossed a glare at Garrett to intimidate him. Kate looked between the two elders and Garrett before saying anything.

"I'm sorry… I won't do it again?" Sounding so unsure as she spoke, she absolutely would do it again and would likely shock someone before she left Volterra.

"Yes, well," looking less flustered than he had a moment ago, Caius, nodded as he accepted her apology. "Try and stay out of trouble. We have better things to be doing than this, you know." Marcus muttered something that vaguely sounded like a gripe about Aro but Garrett chose not to look too much into it as he bowed to both elders. He saw himself out not waiting for Kate.

"How did you know they didn't care about this?" Kate caught up with Garrett and she grabbed his arm halting his steps. Turning to her Garrett realised how used to the place he had become in such a short time.

"I don't know. Aro wasn't there and there didn't seem to be much of a crowd. I guess the Volturi guard get attacked all the time. Maybe such a common occurrence doesn't make them angry any more?" Carlisle hadn't even been there to defend her- had he spoken to Aro while Garrett had taken Kate out that morning?

"What will you do now?" Garrett asks as he starts walking again. Before he sought out Aro he wanted to speak with Bianca and ask her about the bond.

Beside him, Kate shrugged.

"Honestly, I don't know. With angering the Volturi I'd half expected to be dead or imprisoned. I guess I can just go home."

Hadn't she risked her life to save him not 2 hours ago? Now she planned to up and leave him as though she had never been there in the first place?

While it was surprising Garrett was quietly thankful. Still, he had to say something about the whole thing. She had shown up for his sake…

"So you don't think I'm brainwashed?" There was forced amusement in his voice. He was the one making this awkward. And as much as he disliked it, he still wanted to know how she felt about his relationship with Aro. Upon her arrival, she hadn't believed their feelings were real.

“It would be easy for me to continue throwing that accusation around but it wouldn’t be fair to you and it would also be wildly inaccurate,” Kate admitted ruefully and she gave Garrett her first true smile since she had arrived. How it had lit up her face like the sun was shining right on her and for a second she seemed free of worry or fear.

“It hurts don’t get me wrong. I’ll probably think about what could have been between us for a while.

I think that is natural.

Even so, I can’t deny what I saw between you both- as short as the encounter was… the way you smiled up at him when he came to get you.

Aha, you looked positively joyful and I know I could never be the one to draw that from you.” It might have pained her to admit that but it was appreciated all the same.

It was refreshing to have someone be so reasonable, or at least, understand the situation without wanting to destroy his world just as he got it back on track. Now if only he could get Sulpicia on his side with this whole thing…

Wishful thinking, of course!

“You don’t know how happy it makes me to hear that coming from you of all people. You’re a lot more gracious about it than some. I mean, Sulpicia has every right to be upset about the whole thing but she doesn’t have to give off murderous vibes every time we pass one another.

I haven’t seen her for a few days but I can’t help but get the feeling that she is planning my demise.” It had been a joke, well, for the most part, he did worry what the repercussions were of his bond with Aro.

He was her husband and Garrett had swooped in yelling and cursing like a madman before he stole Aro from her- that would be how she saw it and the truth wasn’t far off that idea.

Kate’s face darkened and she grabbed Garrett’s wrist halting any ideas of their walk down the hall from resuming. He could feel the warmth of the electric current running over her skin and it vibrated against his wrist pleasantly.

“Maybe I will stay a little longer. If you feel like you are in danger, I want to be here to help you out!”

“Aro won’t let anything happen to me.” The words tumbled from his mouth without thinking and to his surprise, he felt completely comfortable saying such. The trust and belief he had in such was new to him even though logically Garrett knew trusting Aro this easily would probably be a mistake.

The statement was gifted with a roll of Kate’s eyes and she released his wrist from her grip as she moved to pace the hallway, the lamplight sliding over her as she moved from shadow to light in quick succession.

“He isn’t always going to be here to protect you. You need my help just admit it!” She threw a look over her shoulder at him as she paced awaiting an answer from him.

“As noble as your offer is, I’m capable of fighting my own battles.”

They both knew that this wasn’t what this was really about but Garrett refused to admit such a thing aloud or even mentally. He realised now that he was extremely stubborn.

Poor Carlisle had put up with this for years.

“This isn’t about the fight, it is about allies so that you don’t have to fight!” Kate’s voice was a feverish whisper and the urgency was clear no matter how quiet she was as she spoke.

They were at a stalemate and Kate stood a few meters from him playing with her hair trying to distract herself from the sheer stupidity that radiated from Garrett, or at least that was what it seemed to Garrett as he watched her with tired eyes.

“Everything is so complicated, Katie. Anyway, I don’t know how long Aro will allow you to stay here and honestly, I haven’t spoken to him about Sulpicia… he might be offended if I go up to him and say ‘Oh hey I think your wife might want to kill me!’. He knows her better than I do.

This has probably all been smoothed over already between the two of them and I am just paranoid because I just found out ancient magic does actually exist.”

He wasn't altogether sure he was right about that because the sense of impending doom hadn't really dissipated from within him.

Plus, who was to say Aro wasn't secretly looking for a way to break their bond?

That made him feel physically ill… that couldn't be true. Aro had always seemed upfront with his desires and if he had still been upset with their situation something would have been done by now.

"You really don't look convinced. Is everything ok?" Kate was concerned as Garrett's face cycled through several emotions including a nauseous grimace.

Even after the affectionate behaviour between them, Garrett was… scared. He loved Aro the thought of losing him left him cold to the core.

"Just didn't think I was so attached to Aro. This is all new territory to me so I don't really know what to expect when it comes to feelings and relationships." The sympathetic look he received didn't really help quell any of his insecurities but the gesture was appreciated.

"Well, uh, your discomfort certainly drew someone to you." Garrett turned and watched as Bianca tried in vain to capture Aro's attention as he moved quickly down the hall toward them.

His eyes on Garrett and nought else. The rest of the world didn't seem to exist to him as he approached him his hands already reaching for Garrett's.

It made him uneasy to see the elder looking at him with such intense intent and when his fingers brushed Aro's he couldn't help but pull away to leave space between them.

Kate wedged herself between him and Aro with her back against Garrett as she stared down Aro daring him to say a single word.

The elder's sneer at her was not unnoticed by Garrett but he didn't say anything as he eased Kate away from him- her aggressive protective behaviour was soothing but unnecessary at that moment.

Of course, Aro had known something was wrong. They were so deeply connected now that it would be impossible for him to ignore such a strong feeling of fear and despair. It came off Garrett in waves that even those not bonded to him would have felt it.

"You are dismissed. Please enjoy the rest of your time here but allow me to retrieve my mate from your side, you surely understand now that he does not belong there." A warmth flooded Garrett's being as Aro gently guided him away from Kate. Did he feel some sort of pride in Aro's possessiveness?

Or was it a relief that his worries seemed unfounded?

"Wait! I need to speak to Bianca!" When Garrett spotted Aro's extremely unimpressed expression he moved to cup the elder vampire's face in his hands. "It is important, I promise. When I am done I'll come find you or, if I am gone too long order someone to drag me to your door. Just let me talk to my friend."

It was rather enjoyable to see Aro relent almost immediately. Garrett secretly hoped it was because the elder was soft for him and liked to indulge his whims.

Perhaps giving him what he wanted made Aro feel powerful?

"I shall find you later." The arm Aro had snaked around Garrett's waist slipped away and he left Garrett standing with a seething Kate fuming silently beside him.

"I arrived at the perfect time, I believe." The familiar voice of Carlisle floated in from behind the two, and in unison, both Garrett and Kate turned to face him.

They both were gifted with a cheery wave from the blond as he approached them, though his eyes flicked momentarily to the retreating back of Aro.

"You are coming with me, Kate. The Denali clan have arrived to collect you. I suspect the Volturi alerted them to your troublemaking and request you be removed from the area." It sounded very much like they treated Kate's behaviour here as childish. Garrett assumed this was so the Volturi still held the upper hand and painted Kate as more of a nuisance than a true threat.

It protected their image and weakened the reputation of the Denali clan.

"They're really here?"

"Waiting for you down in the city. You understand why they won't walk right up to the doors of this place, I'm sure."

Silence for a moment or two then Kate looked to Garrett and gave him a bittersweet smile.

"I suppose this is goodbye?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry I am the reason you failed to rescue me." This brought a snort of laughter from Kate. Garrett was relieved she seemed fine with leaving.

"It sure will be awkward when I appear and you're not with me. I'm pretty sure they're going to invent adult grounding just for me."

She threw her arms around Garrett in a tight hug and he kissed her hair, once parted they said nothing and Kate left quietly with Carlisle at her back.

Things were going to get quiet in the coven house again…


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garrett has more questions for Bianca but cannot bring himself to ask her and instead makes an outlandish request. 
> 
> Jane offers the minuscule amount of help but it is more than enough and it leaves Garrett wondering if he felt more at home here than he had originally believed. 
> 
> Going deep he has to find Aro and when he does the words exchanged are not soft and are not beautiful.

##  Chapter Twenty Two

_ Never stop pushing through _

_ These deep waters _

_ Need to be cold blooded _

  
  


With Carlisle and Kate now gone Garrett was able to finally seek out Bianca and, hopefully, get some answers to his questions.

His life seemed only to be a series of questions and answers now. The problem is that the answers were complicated and required further questioning on his part. This left him trapped in a loop of queries that seemed never-ending.

When he approached Bianca's desk she was sifting through piles of paperwork all the while mumbling to herself as she scanned the pages. She looked tired and Garrett knew it must have been difficult to keep up with immortals who needed neither sleep nor rest or any kind.

"I know you're there…Sorry, sorry! Aro wanted something and he wanted it as soon as possible. Did you need something?"When Bianca looked up the sleep-deprived state she was in was starkly apparent- the bags under her eyes and the bloodshot whites declared this woman had been awake for too long.

"No, just dropping by to say hi. Let me grab you some decent coffee from the city and maybe I can help you out here?" Guilt overrode his need for answers after all her tired state was Kate's fault which indirectly meant he too was to blame. If Kate hadn't come to 'rescue' him all would have been well and Bianca could have slept soundly.

The least he could do was get her some good coffee and offer his assistance.

Bianca hadn’t moved an inch by the time he had returned, but she did stop and take the coffee with a grateful smile.

“There was something you wanted to ask me, wasn’t there?” There was no use lying to her and, frankly, Garrett felt uncomfortable with the idea of twisting the truth even just white lies. Slowly he nodded as he moved around the desk and pulled a spare chair toward her desk to sit beside her.

“Yeah… but I feel like all I do is hound you with this bond stuff.”

“Who else are you going to ask, Garrett? I’m the foremost expert in the field… aside from my sisters but you don’t even know them.”

Taking this into consideration Garrett agreed that it would be silly to worry about asking her something that only she had the answer to. Still, he didn’t enjoy bothering her for more details. Just because she had the answers didn’t mean he had to have them too, a lot of people lived their lives controlled by fate without the insight he had and they seemed just fine.

“I’m not going to ask you what I was going to ask originally because, ultimately, it doesn’t matter, but I wondered if I could see my thread again?” They both exhaled at the same time both recalling the last time he saw it and how he was nearly flattened like a pancake when he attempted to change his own fate at the source.

Bianca looked apprehensive as she sifted through her papers allowing the action to give her time to think about it. Garrett didn’t push for an answer and instead nudged the coffee cup toward her hand gesturing for her to drink.

Really, having her eat something and taking a long nap would have been a more ideal plan for the rest of her day but Garrett didn’t have to be a seer to know that was not in Bianca’s future.

“Are you sure you want to see it again, you didn’t do so well last time… Plus, if anything happened to you Aro would absolutely kill me. I feel it in my bones he would lose his damn mind.” Even though Bianca was trying to hide an amused grin she did still have an air of unease about her, more so when Garrett nodded.

“Please, just let me see it again. I won’t even touch it!”

"Do you even know what you sound like right now?" Bianca rolled her eyes before going back to her work- Garrett had to keep in mind that she was actually employed as a secretary and had real work to do.

"Like a kid?" He ventured and only smiled when Bianca made a noise of agreement. "I'll come back later. Just take care of yourself, eat something today."

"Have a good day, and try and stay out of trouble!" Bianca called after him and Garrett made a dismissive gesture which probably didn't seem encouraging at all.

With nothing to do with his time, it occurred to Garrett that he didn't actually know where Aro's quarters were. It wasn't like he had ever been invited there and for the most part, they had spent most of their time in hallways or his room.

If he was going to stick around that room needed some upgrades, even if it was just something that made it feel more like a home away from home.

How long had it been since he had last been in his apartment? Two or three weeks? Granted he did not spend all that long in the place the fact the details of his decor had become fuzzy seemed worrisome.

Though, it hadn’t been updated since he had moved in. Carlisle had helped with the paperwork and all that noise. Bills were all in his name the utilities and whatnot, not that he needed light or heat in the place, but they left the Cullen account.

The apartment, on the whole, was fine, pretty empty but Carlise would often joke that meant Garrett was a minimalist which was not altogether untrue, he didn’t have any interest in collecting anything other than books about his interests. The only thing on his walls were some old weapons of his… all in all it looked lived in but by someone who only dropped by a couple of days a month.

There was nothing there he truly missed, aside from the city itself and if he had to return for anything it would be the books and his old weapons- but Carlisle could always send those over- the thought was cut short when Jane appeared at his side in no way concealing the roll of her eyes at him as he continued to wander around the coven house with no idea on where he was going.

When he noticed her he took a side step so there was more space between them then gave her a tight smile in greeting.

“Jaaane, what brings you skulking around here?” The airy tone he was going for just came out as sarcastic but, to be honest, it didn’t much matter to Jane, she didn’t seem to care about how he sounded when they spoke.

“You are wandering around like a vagrant and it is… irritating.” The pause was clearly to find words less insulting, and she seemed satisfied with the outcome because Garrett just laughed at her.

“Yeah, I’m just getting to know the place, don’t know how long I will be here.”

“You’re looking for Aro’s room- it isn’t down this hall, I assure you.”

There was a moment where Garrett could blink down at Jane as he tried to fathom the tone she was using… was she being nice to him?! Glancing down the hall he notices many doors and wondered why she was giving him helpful information- he decided to ignore the feeling of impending doom that was crawling over him and instead make conversation while she was in this congenial mood.

“So, where are Aro’s quarters?” Better ask directly at least then he can decipher whether or not she is going to actually be helpful. Low stakes, really. If he didn’t find Aro he knew the elder would find him and maybe even scold Jane for throwing him off the right course. Well, probably not.

“Deeper down. Much deeper. Were you just going to start opening doors until you found him?” Jane’s snide remark just had Garrett laughing again, it wasn’t like he had forgotten what she was capable of, no way in Hell had he forgotten, but something about her delivery just cracked him up.

“I’ve already been told to stay out of trouble so opening random doors here would not be in keeping with that instruction. But, uh, how far do I go down to find him?” They’re turning around at Jane’s instruction and she guided him back down the hallway he had wandered up alone minutes before. There was a short silence again and Garrett could tell she was thinking of how to respond to him- and not trying to remember where Aro resided.

“The very bottom, and when you think you’ve gotten to the bottom keep going.” It sounded more ominous than it probably was, Aro likely just enjoyed the comfort of the earth around him, some older vampires did though Garrett had no clue as to why.

“Why so far underground?” He asked confused. they were at the top of a set of elegantly carved wooden stairs quite unlike the rest of the coven house. It really should have been a dead give away that this was the entrance to Aro’s quarters.

“Likes to be close to the devil.” Simple response but it could have been true.

“I didn’t see Aro as a religious man.” Jane turned to look up at him and, again but with less distaste, rolled her eyes before speaking in the most unimpressed tone she could muster.

“He isn’t. He just thinks he is absolutely hilarious.” Without saying another word she turned on her heel and walked away without so much as a goodbye. Not that Garrett had expected one from someone so standoffish.

Shrugging at her behaviour Garrett turned back to the stairs and began his descent.

Jane had been right when she said it was deep down. For the most part, it was just stairs and a black abyss below him. No lamps, candles nothing. Not that he needed any of that to see but it just seemed odd that Aro walked down here in the pitch black each time he wished to return to his personal space.

It only took Garrett around about 10 minutes to get down all the stairs, vampiric speed really did help a lot with these kinds of things. What greeted him was darkness and impenetrable walls on all four sides.

A sudden rush of apprehension washed over him and it put Garrett into high alert. These were not his emotions and he scrambled along the wall looking for a door but all he found was stone, cold and hard beneath his fingers.

As Garrett trawled the walls the feeling of apprehension grew and mingled with Garrett’s growing concern but as he upped his pace in his search for a door his hands were only met with smooth polished stone.

Cursing under his breath he calmed the rising panic and attempted to think rationally. If the doors aren't on the walls…

Jane's words floated through his mind again… 'When you think you've gotten to the bottom keep going.'

Turning away from the wall Garrett slapped the palm of his hand against his forehead when his eyes fell upon a trapdoor set neatly into the stone floor before him.

"Well, into the pits of Hell I go. Better see if the devil needs me." Leaning down his fingers curl around the metal handle and for a second he pauses and considers that Aro may not have wanted him to know about this place. And yet with that in mind, he tugs the handle and the door opens with ease revealing another intricately carved staircase down into a well-lit room.

Descending the stairs the room is slowly revealed, walls painted in a style reminiscent of Italian frescos though the scenes were unfamiliar and the faces were strangers to Garrett.

The floor was polished marble and Garrett's boots clicked loudly against the flags as he stepped across the room, it was bare of any furnishings, it seemed more like a lobby rather than a room to live in.

The only other thing in the room was a door at the far side that stood slightly ajar. Garrett had no option but to push forward and investigate.

If Aro did not want him in that space he would be reprimanded and thrown out. It wouldn't do any harm to the relationship, every couple needed their own private place to relax away from others.

Pushing the door open Garrett was greeted with the sight of Aro sat at a writing desk reading a letter intently. His brow was furrowed and he looked truly troubled at the words on the paper, so much so that he didn't even react as Garrett entered the room.

“Doing some light reading?” Garrett stands in front of the desk wondering how much the scene looked like a schoolmaster and student- awkward in the way Garrett recognised Aro’s authority but also lighthearted as Garrett teased the man pushing any invisible boundaries that may have been erected between them.

Theirs was still a new relationship young and fresh like dewy snowdrops straining to reach a weak winter sun high above them. They would reach the sun one day and how they would bloom when they did.

The letter was set down and Aro let out a sigh of frustration clearly aimed at the missive now neatly folded before him.

Taking this as a bad sign, Garrett moved around the desk until he was stood by the elder vampire, he slid a hand over the man’s shoulder giving it a comforting squeeze which seemed to ease some of the tension held there.

“Is everything alright?”

A beat of silence and then Aro shakes his head. Without looking at Garrett he speaks and his voice sounds dull as though all the energy has been sapped from him.

“If there was a way to separate us- to sever the threads that join us, would you do it?” Hadn’t they already settled this between the two of them earlier?

With a slight growl, Garrett moved from behind the desk to pace the floor his thoughts raced. He refused to look over at Aro even though he knew the man’s gaze followed his every movement.

“Why are you asking me this now? Are you having regrets about us, do you want to go back to Sulpicia?” It was unfair to fire these kinds of questions at him when Garrett hadn’t the manners to answer Aro’s question first, his pacing ceases and with his back to Aro, he answered.

“Even if you found a way to return us to a time before the threads were created I would do this all again the exact same way…” It wasn’t an elegant way to answer but it was hopefully enough to convey how he felt without making it flowery… but if Aro wanted flowery he could give it a go.

Or he could let him go… he could let Aro be with who he had always been with.

“You’re not perfect.

You think it makes you so unlovable and to many that will be true but the relationships you've built here are not built on trust.

You have a chance to start again. You have a chance to make a clean cut from the Volturi and you still hesitate! You stop to ask me… to think of me.

Look around you, you know that this place is awful. There isn't a single person you trust to take your side if you told them the truth of your actions.

Think of yourself for once you idiot. Let this place go and sever the ties to everyone you know.

If you are saying what I think you’re saying… if you have found a way to change all of this why even wait, just do it and start your life again!” When Garrett finally had the guts to turn and face Aro he didn’t like what he saw. The empty look in his eyes, the stillness in his form and the expressionless face that held those dead eyes that looked right at him but saw right through Garrett as though he was merely a spectre.

Whatever was going through Aro’s mind could not be gleaned from his expression nor his eyes and when he moved it seemed mechanical as though only doing what he was expected to do.

It was unnerving how little he had reacted to Garrett’s words but still, he moved to pick up the letter and as he did he looked Garrett in the eyes and tore it into the smallest pieces he could manage.

The small pieces of paper were tossed into a cold and unlit grate of an ornate fireplace to the left of the elder vampire.

It seemed whatever the letter had said would remain a mystery to Garrett.

“I need your final answer, Garrett,” Aro began and, with a grace that only such a man as he could possess, he moved around the desk and toward Garrett with a dark look of determination upon his pale features. When face to face his hands moved to curl around the front of Garrett's shirt and he pulled him down so he was at the same level as Aro. “Does this end here or will you let our spark turn into a raging fire?”


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More indecision from the two but at least they get a trip out of it!
> 
> Feelings are laid bare but now Garrett needs Aro to do the same... and while the elder gives some, somewhat, decent advice it is not truly appreciated.

##  Chapter Twenty Three

_ She said with friends like these who needs anybody _

_ She said with eyes like these who sees anybody _

_ She said with dreams so strong you belong to nobody else _

To say Garrett was stunned would be a slight understatement. There had always been a fiery passion within Aro, he knew that! The man was the leader of the most powerful coven in the world there was no room for timidity.

Unsure how to respond Garrett resolved to remain silent until his thoughts had been gathered into some semblance of order. Opening his mouth and spitting out broken words and half bitten syllables in a stuttering onslaught did not fit the moment. 

The balance always seemed to tip between them. Too much or not enough from one side to another… the indecision between them was tiring. Though, Aro seemed far more sure of what he wanted while Garrett floundered more often than not.

How many times had Garrett tried to give Aro an easy way out of this relationship only to regret it seconds later contradicting himself at every turn?

His drastic idea of letting someone kill him so Aro could be free hadn’t gone down all that well. Garrett recognised it as, perhaps, not one of his best ideas but he was a strategy man this was all off the cuff ideas.

Who would get tired first?

Gently, Garrett slipped from Aro's grip though, truly he had wanted to close the space between them. He had wanted to press against the other and hold him in a tight embrace. Instead, he let his shoulders slump and whatever expression he'd originally arranged on his face fell too.

"Forgive me, Aro. I'm confused by all of this. I want to ride this out with you and be at your side without hesitation but," His words failed for a moment all the while Aro nodded for him to continue urging his words to spill from his lips with the simple gesture. "Every time I decide I want there to be an ‘us’ my mind tells me that you don't want this and that you've been roped into this against your will."

Aro gave a strange laugh upon hearing Garrett's words, this time when he moved forward his expression was soft and he reached up to brush Garrett's hair from his face. In his ranting earlier he had become dishevelled and his hair grew wild with ease.

"I was roped into this against my will," The tone of his voice gentle and though Garrett's concerns had been confirmed Aro didn't appear to be all that worried about it. "-but, ah, so were you. And you worry so much that I might turn against you when moments ago you told me that there wasn't a single person here I could trust. Did you include yourself? Am I to worry that you are unhappy and do not want this also?"

While Garrett mulled this over Aro took the chance to guide him to a sofa against the same wall the door was on and sit him down.

He then proceeded to remove Garrett's jacket though not without giving it a look of distaste as he set it aside.

"I've given you much to think about, but I believe your earlier words had been made to hurt me and push me away.

Are you trying to be the hero of your story rather than the one in need of rescue?" The amused tone soothed Garrett in a way he hadn't expected it to. Hearing Aro make light of this all made him feel as though things would be ok and that maybe, just maybe, he was allowed to want this.

"You have to admit that this is fuckin' wild. Did you think that something like this could even happen to someone like you?" He almost felt himself again after that awful moment where he had gone and laid himself bare before the elder vampire leaving him terribly vulnerable.

Then came the wince as Aro gifted him with a displeased look at the language used in front of him. Of course, he expected something a little more refined but Garrett concluded that if he loved him enough he wouldn't try to change anything about him… even if that also included his unnecessary cursing.

"Never. Then again, if I had ever considered the possibility of it happening I assumed I would be far angrier about it too. Yet, here we are being the opposite of one another about this whole thing. I am of a cheery countenance and you look as though a rain cloud might manifest above your head..." Aro mused for a moment as he moved to sit by Garrett.

They remained close but quiet for some time while they both became lost in thought. At some point, Garrett had sat back and thrown his arm over the back of the sofa and Aro had moved close enough that his side pressed against Garrett's.

"When I came looking for you I could feel you. Something was bothering you quite a bit. Was it the letter you threw in the grate?" Almost immediately Aro tensed up and without prompting he nodded as he sighed heavily still looking out at the room. He made no move to look at Garrett.

"Why is it cannot keep anything from you?" The question was uttered under his breath, more to himself than for Garrett's ears but it was kind of cute…

Oddly, Garrett found Aro sweet at times. Sure, he was an absolute maniac and could just about kill anyone without a second's hesitation, but he was soft too so very soft- though perhaps just to him?

"You could always lie?" Garrett offered with a light grin, all thoughts of their earlier conversation stored away for later and forgotten for now.

“I find myself being unable to do even that. It becomes increasingly difficult to withhold anything from you at all. Should you ask for something outlandish I believe I would endeavour to gift it to you regardless of the repercussions.” Aro replied darkly as though the whole idea was drastically unsavoury, or perhaps he did not like the sway Garrett held over him, as casual as it seemed.

“Noted. I won’t make any offhand comments about wanting the moon anytime soon then.” Garrett’s quip was received with a quiet huff of a laugh and they both relaxed for a moment before Aro spoke again. This time he was hesitant.

“The letter was from Sulpicia. I don’t know if any of what she said was the truth. After you were pulled from the rubble of the tower she vanished and no one had seen her nor heard from her since then.

I thought perhaps she wished to be alone and did not seek her out but it became apparent she had left the coven house when not even her closest confidants had seen her.” Aro paused a moment and it was clear that his eyes were now on the torn-up letter lying in the grate across the room.

“She is travelling to Greece- she did not say why other than she may have found a way to disconnect you from me. How did she know of the threads?” The question was aimed, again, at himself but Garrett felt his entire being grow cold as ice settled in the pit of his stomach.

There had been many times Garrett had spoken out in the open about the Fates and the threads, there was ample chance for her, or any one of her confidants, to hear him. 

What troubled him most was Aro’s question earlier.

Had Sulpicia’s letter given him hope where there had been none before?

A mix of revulsion and dismay washed over him so strongly that Aro turned to him with concern in his eyes. An unspoken question forming slowly on his tongue never to be given life because it didn’t need it.

Garrett knew what he was going to ask.

Was he all right?

No, he wasn’t.

Not in any sense.

Groaning he got up from his seat suddenly restless and in need of movement. The stillness of sitting down felt like it was dredging up dread with far more ease than it did if he walked off the nervous energy forming inside him.

If he stopped he felt like he would stop forever and inside a feeling of panic and confusion thrashed around as though trying to claw its way out from the pit of his stomach.

Every time Garrett though he was on level ground, and every time he thought he had even footing on the situation something threw him off balance. It threw him off balance without regard to his feelings and tossed him to the foot of the problem that rose above him like a mountain.

Relationships were not smooth straight roads and he was finding this to be true more and more as time went by. He realised now that this was why many choose sex over love. Instant gratification without the complicated strings of intimacy and soul-bearing tangling you up and effectively trapping you to someone.

“I hate this. It feels like every time we speak to one another everything seems to become unclear again. What do you want, Aro?!” The elder vampires name rang out through the room and Garrett realised he had been yelling. It didn’t make him feel any better to rage aloud at the other man, raising his voice released no tension and he felt as tightly wound as ever.

Garrett really wished Kate was still here, she and Carlisle would have been a great team to talk to right now. Carlisle was logical and fair, Kate was upfront and blunt… they were the perfect pair.

Though, how neutral could they be about the whole thing?

Pulling himself together, Garrett forced himself to look over to Aro. The man looked completely calm and a small smile played on his lips, though, usually a smile from Aro didn’t mean anything good.

“You jump to conclusions so quickly in your own head. I can see it on your face- you’re running through scenarios and coming up hurt at the end of every single one of them. Most people talk to one another when they have a problem.

Dear me, it truly seems as though you’ve never been in a relationship before.” Garrett didn’t really appreciate being chastised like a child but Aro wasn’t wrong. He was throwing himself into his own head and the worst-case scenarios played out with next to no prompting from his own mind.

Gods, he wanted nothing more than to have some space from the Volturi and Volterra. Leaving without Aro would only spell out disaster and he didn’t think he could handle petrification again.

With Aro’s words in mind, Garrett decided that he needed to be honest.

“I miss my apartment and the things that are truly mine. Walking down the halls of this place I feel alone yet constantly on display. I don’t fit in here in the slightest, and even if I felt welcome here, which I do not, I don’t have any privacy.

When you come to Volterra you’re expected to surrender yourself completely to the Volturi and you lose so much of yourself in this house.

I feel like I’ve been stripped down to something I don’t even recognise was ever me. The Fates and all this relationship talk doesn’t help but honestly, I just don’t want this to be anyone’s business by ours.

Volterra isn’t my home and I don’t think it ever will be.” It didn’t reveal his feelings for Aro in any way though he felt laid bare again and he wondered if it was a side effect of the fate strings.

Or did couples really talk openly about these things with one another?

Garrett couldn’t fathom it, couldn’t imagine being so open all the time but he had been a solitary creature for quite some time- this was brand new territory to him.

He wanted to go back to Louisiana.

This was the first time he had ever felt homesick. Garrett had never been one to turn tail and retreat from something he was afraid of. This wasn’t the same thing, he wasn’t afraid he was tired and the hesitance in allowing himself happiness was draining.

If he asked Aro to come with him would he, or would he risk petrification simply because the idea of being in America again displeased the snob immensely?

Garrett’s mouth was nothing more than a thin line as he considered everything, and Aro had taken notice of the grim countenance and arched a brow in question.

“You’re right, Volterra is not your home, at least not yet. One day I hope you do come to consider Volterra as home. But now you are thinking you would like to return to the place you feel is the closest to a home you’ve ever been, yes?” Astute as always but it probably wouldn’t have taken a genius to see where Garrett’s thought process had gone to after his rather wordy rant.

Though he was unsure about seeing Volterra as home it was more a boarding school he couldn’t leave because it was surrounded by a moat of man-eating crocs.

“If it will settle your soul and grant you a brief moment of peace then you should go. And though I loathe to follow you I fear I must, I am sure neither of us would enjoy a repeat of the ordeal the last time we separated.

While it could have only been the effects of a new bond-forming I, for one, will not be taking any chances.” Aro’s smile was tight as he remembered the limited movement and the sheer panic that had overridden all rational thought and logic.

“You’re telling me you are coming to Louisiana with me? Are you sure?” Garrett tested his voice even as he spoke, though the elder vampire likely felt the giddy excitement rising up within him.

Showing Aro his world, the one Garrett walked tall and unfearing of shadows, it would give them both something else to think on- it was better than lingering on thoughts of what was truly eating them from the inside out.

“I do like to travel.”


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louisana!
> 
> It isn't smooth but at least Garrett and Aro have found honesty is the best policy along with some good-natured teasing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been a long time in the works because I bought a Nintendo Switch for my birthday and I have been playing Breath of the Wild obsessively, as well as making art so my mind has not been on these two idiots lately. 
> 
> I am back and I hope some of you have missed me ahah!

##  Chapter Twenty Four

_Running with shoes that shine_

_With blood that isn’t mine_

_A stinging trophy_

_Of the battles I’ve survived_

  


Out of the two Aro informed of his departure, only Caius seemed concerned. Marcus had merely nodded and told Aro to enjoy his time away and that he would see him again upon his return. 

“You cannot just leave us like this. When will you return and what if we need you in the meantime?” Caius' voice had risen an octave as he demanded answers to his questions and blanched quite visibly at the sight of Aro’s shrug in response. 

“Aren’t you one of the leaders of this place?” Garrett had interjected. For a spell had merely hung back trying to do something with the antsy feeling that forced him into pacing by the door of the main chamber. When Caius narrowed his eyes at him ready to spit something angry Garrett interrupted him. “Just, you seem to act all high and mighty but you can’t handle a coven on your own?” 

Aro shifted beside him but did not say anything, Marcus, however, let out a quiet laugh and nodded nudging Caius with his elbow as if to say ‘lighten up’. Or at least, something to that effect. 

“As much as it angers you, Garrett is correct. You should be capable, brother. I do not intend to be away too long, I do hope knowing this fact will bring you some sort of peace as we depart.” As Aro spoke Garrett wandered off through the doors of the main chamber and out into the hallway. 

Carlisle greeted him with a bright smile as he approached him- the blond was hitching a ride home with Garrett and Aro. The private plane owned by the Volturi was proving to be very helpful for both of them. 

“I admit, as nice as it has been to spend _some_ time with you, it is good to be finally going home. I assume that everything is settled between the two of you enough that I will not need to intervene.” They both share a laugh, and Garrett nodded not having the heart to tell Carlisle that things were probably messier than they ever had been. 

At least at the beginning of this all, they had not wanted to be near one another... Now that did not seem to be the case in the slightest. 

another...

Perhaps stepping foot on turf that was so obviously Garrett's would test their ability to stand one another. A test of wills? Patience? 

"I'm sorry you were ever involved in any of this," Garrett admitted as he leaned against the closest wall waiting in Aro. 

Carlisle laughed aloud for a long time before he could compose himself and Garrett gave him an incredulous look. His expression was one of apology though still wildly amused. 

"Oh, dear friend. You dragged me into this and nothing I could do or say would allow me to claw my way out. 

But, that doesn't mean I regret anything that happened aside from seeing a building fall on you. I'd have been happy had you avoided that situation." They are both able to smile about this now though it was probably still just as horrifying now than when it had happened. 

"Are you really taking Aro to Louisiana?" The change in the subject was welcomed by Garrett and he gave a slow nod though a wicked grin spread over his features as he did so. "He is in for a culture shock I believe. Are you still at the apartment in New Orleans?" 

Carlisle would know, of course, the bills were still in his name. Garrett was aware he was just making polite conversation to a degree but also to ensure he knew where he was should something go awry. 

"Yeah, I've come to think of it as home now… but you know me. I like to wander so who knows how long I'll stay there." The conversation was cut short when Aro appeared at Garrett’s side already looking impatient as though they had been the ones wasting time and not in fact Aro trying to convince Caius that he was capable of running the coven in his stead. 

“Guess it’s time to go.” Garrett quipped as he slung an around Aro’s shoulders, Carlisle merely looked amused at the action but did not say anything about the casual nature Aro was now treated. 

Aro gently pressed himself closer to Garrett for a moment before shrugging him off and walking ahead of him and Carlisle. 

The three of them pass Bianca on their way to leave, without a word she gets up and hurries to Garrett throwing her arms around him in a tight hug. Her voice was muffled as she spoke into his shirt and Garrett did not miss the slight bristle of Aro as he watched the scene silently. 

“I know you’ll be back… you have to come back but I can’t help but feel like this is our last goodbye. Be careful and take care of our master while you’re gone, ok?!” Aro’s stony expression softened as Bianca spoke and he gave her a fond smile. He had the decency to look somewhat sheepish at his own behaviour, though, Garrett was kind enough not to bring it up… well, not until they were far away enough from the coven house anyway. 

The flight was uneventful, though Garrett wondered why Carlisle didn’t just use his own plane. When he asked about this it was explained that Edward and Bella were jet setting around the world with their daughter to take in the culture of other countries and to visit those that had come to witness them. 

The topic of the battle was brief and Garrett wondered if Aro was truly engrossed in his reading or if he pretended to be so as not to be drawn into the most awkward conversation of his life. 

Regardless, aside from this, the flight was quick and quiet. 

They touched down and Carlisle left them pretty much on the runway with a quick goodbye leaving Aro and Garrett fully alone together for the first time since they had met. 

For a moment it felt awkward with both of them stood on the tarmac as men and women silently moved around them to perform a maintenance check on the plane. There was nothing here to distract them and no one to come crashing in between them- they only had each other now and Garrett wasn’t sure where to go from there. 

“Let’s head to my apartment.” Now he was on home turf he supposed he should have felt relieved but he just felt empty inside- after everything that had happened this was the most normal thing they had going on. 

Sensing something was wrong Aro gently nudged him and when their eyes met feeling flooded Garrett- it was affection and contentment and it was coming from Aro. Any hesitation that had begun to form inside him dissipated and he found himself smiling softly and he wrapped an arm around Aro’s shoulders, pulling him close. 

“This is weird, right? Us?” Garrett asked as they moved off the tarmac and into the airport. Of course, it was odd, they had been thrust together by the fates and their vagaries as their lives were moved as though decided via spontaneity. 

“If you mean that you do not believe there is some great plan for us being together, then yes. It is awfully odd that we would suddenly have the intense need to be near one another without much explanation. 

As much as I wish to question it, do you truly believe Bianca would give you or me a straight answer?” Aro gave an indignant huff and Garrett found himself nodding in agreement with him, though now he was considering that he had missed a trick by not simply asking her outright. 

There had to be some loyalty there, right? Though he had known Bianca a short time they had been through enough that he could possibly call in a favour. 

When they reached the town the place was alive with music and people. Of course, it was a Saturday night and it was summer! 

Garrett let the sights and sounds sink in and he finally felt happy to be home. Their walk back to Garrett's apartment slowed considerably as Aro took a great interest in what was happening in town, not that he would have admitted it aloud. 

It was easy to indulge the man by letting them merely linger in the streets bustling with mortals happy to be alive and enjoying their moment in the music. 

"Does the noise bother you here?" Aro asks suddenly and Garrett has to pull his attention away from a group sat outside a bar. He had been taking in each individual sizing them up and deciding where his taste lay that night. 

"Not now. I think the quiet of Volterra made me restless. The noise here is just life and now it's a comfort to me more than anything." His words were met with a nod of understanding but Garrett wasn't sure if Aro truly understood him. 

"It must be easy to hunt here." 

"You say that as though you've hunted for yourself recently. Tell me, can you remember how to stalk someone or are you hoping they'll just fall into your arms begging you to eat them?" Garrett's tease was met with the growl of disapproval but he didn't cower or back down. 

"Well? No come back?" The goading tone was clearly getting to Aro. He very likely disliked being challenged or made to feel inferior but Garrett believed his beloved could stand to be taken down a peg or two. 

Friendly competition never hurt anyone, right? 

"If you're so angry at my insinuations maybe try proving me wrong?" The suggestion halted their leisurely walk and Aro threw him an incredulous look as though affronted by the challenge.

"You think you can speak to me in such a way?" This was all Garrett needed really. The tone as though Garrett should not have such audacity to question him. 

With one swift movement, Aro was dragged into the shadows and pinned to the wall while Garrett bared a very sharp-toothed grin down at him. His 6'2 frame easily obscuring Aro from and passersby one hand pinned the elder's shoulder to the crumbling brick wall the other hand planted against the wall inches from Aro's face. 

"Oh boy, you're not going to have a good time in my city if you think you're the boss here. You might be royalty but here I'm king." It wasn't what he had wanted to say but the words just slipped out unbidden but before Aro could respond Garrett spoke again. 

"We're equals, Aro. It's hurtful that you don't see that. I'm not going to let this relationship be a constant power play." With that, he pushed himself away from the wall, and when Aro surged forward he allowed him to grab his hand the beat of anger in the elder's face was there then gone in a second. 

"I- ah, I have to realise that. We're very different you and I. Sulpicia she took to being vampiric royalty as though she had been made for it. I realise that now it doesn't really matter to you. 

It isn't as though we enforced gender roles in the coven. Try asking Jane to do such… anyhow, Sulpicia was far more demure than you will ever be. 

I wonder now if she was this way to please me…" Aro fell into quiet contemplation his gaze seemed so far away that Garrett wondered where he was in his own mind and if the look tinged with regret that flitted across his features was for the situation now or the moment he was reliving. 

“We keep butting heads over ridiculous things.” Garrett sighed through his words unhappy that this wasn’t plain sailing but he knew deep down it would be ridiculous to think it ever would be. 

“Does it matter to you that everything is not perfect between us?” Aro asked his hand still gripped Garrett’s and they stood in the shadows for a long time unseen by the world around them.

Time passed by without them and for a spell the calm it brought left Garrett feeling relaxed and comfortable to a degree. He wondered what was coming next because he knew by the look on his face Aro was not done asking questions. 

“Are you comparing yourself to my wife, I truly hope not she is leagues above you, oh don’t give me such a sour look. I jest… well, I’m not wrong but I am not comparing you two. Perhaps, in the past I did but what good would that do us to replace my wife with someone exactly like her?”

Bristling at Aro’s words Garrett forced his gaze away from his and let it fall to the dusty floor beneath his boots. They kept returning to the same points of conversation and living in a loop like this would drive them both crazy eventually. 

“Thing is really this wasn’t your choice or mine but we’re working on it. I guess you would want someone not so identical to your wife but close… familiarity and all that but I’m not built for elegance and luxury. 

You’ll see that when we get to my place. Thing is, as annoying as you are _constantly,_ I’ve got a soft spot for you and I would hate for this new relationship to go belly up before it had time to stretch its wings. 

You know?” They resumed their walk into the brightly lit street now hand in hand, no one paid them any attention in the slightest which suited them just fine considering the conversation they had decided to have in public. 

“You truly have a way with words, anything that could have been remotely romantic you manage to trample on with words that are more like muddy boots than soft sentiments.” 

“But you wouldn’t have me any other way?”

“It worries me with increasing intensity how true that sentiment is, now, show me this hovel of yours and we shall see how truly suited you are to be part of the Volturi royal family.” 


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garrett explains why he seems so on edge after allowing Aro into his own home. 
> 
> Both men have a wager that may end dramatically in either of their favour- but if the trust is there it works out well regardless.
> 
> The guard comes down now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I amusing this fic for NaNo so expect this to be 100K+ words by the end of November. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!

##  Chapter Twenty Five

I have never known sleep

Like the slumber that creeps to me

I have never known colour

Like this morning reveals to me

The apartment door creaked as Garrett pushed it open and stepped inside the almost empty foyer. Aro was close behind eager to see the place the nomad had settled long enough to call home over the years. 

His eagerness soon dissipated when he noticed the sparsely furnished entrance. There stood only an empty coat stand by the door to the rest of the apartment. 

"So do you own furniture or do you simply stand in the corner of the room when you're home like the coat stand here in the foyer?" 

The comment was ignored and Garrett opened the other door stepping aside to let Aro in first. 

The open plan kitchen and lounge was just as sparsely furnished as the foyer. A long brown leather sofa was situated on the back wall and a distressed wood coffee table was set in the centre of the room. 

A few books were scattered around the room but most of them were in the unused kitchen. Aside from that, there was nothing… no decoration but an old gun, which looked like it might actually still work, hung on the wall like a trophy. 

"Not one for luxury or comfort?" Aro mused mostly to himself but the slight lilt at the end of his sentence offered it up as a question that Garrett might wish to answer. 

The answer was a slight huff of a laugh but nothing more. 

Letting Aro into his space hadn't seemed like a big deal as they walked over from the airport but now everything felt different. 

While there wasn't a whole lot there to look at it was still his and it was still personal. Letting someone in whose opinion mattered changed how he felt entirely about the situation and Garrett waited silently for Aro's approval. 

"You don't spend much time here, do you?" A simple question which was welcomed by Garrett who merely shook his head in response. 

"I don't really like to stay in one place too long but this is the headquarters, the base of operations if I need a place to lay low or get out of the rain…" Trailing off all he could manage was a lopsided embarrassed smile that seemed all too endearing to Aro, who crossed the room toward him. 

"It still seems so very you." 

"Yeah…" 

That was it for conversation for the moment as Aro leaned up and pressed a kiss to Garrett's lips as though trying to soothe his discomfort. 

He did that a lot Garrett realised. 

The physical affection from Aro always surprised him but that's what he did to Garrett. They would exchange words and then, as if worried his words had been misconstrued, he would offer something of himself soft and apologetic.

Had he always been that way? 

At least he was aware that oftentimes he was harsh. 

Bella has once described him as a psycho and most were inclined to agree. At the time Garrett had nodded in agreement though his opinion was definitely changed on that front. He was well aware there was still something deeply wrong with Aro he just didn't have the degree or words to describe what it was that was off about the man. 

Recently though Aro had shown no signs of being anything other than a spoilt royal which was not so very out of the norm. 

The restlessness was starting to set in again making Garrett pace the room while Aro idled about sifting through the piles of books left perching precariously on the edge of many a countertop and table. 

Life was haphazard in the small apartment even if Garrett would argue that it seemed more lived-in than just junk lying around the place. He wasn’t sure what it was about the place but it didn’t feel like home anymore, or had he been away from the apartment so long that it just felt unlived in now? 

Had he come to think of the Volterra coven as his home? 

Shaking such a thought from his head, Garrett looked to Aro who was flicking through the pages of a book leaning against the kitchen counter… it looked so normal for him to be there, even in his black suit which didn’t fit with the decor or the area at all. 

Maybe having Aro here wouldn’t be so bad, maybe wherever they were together would be home- it seemed to be moving fast but weren’t they supposedly soulmates? This kind of thing would be ok for them, right? 

As his thoughts continued to race Aro set the book down and was now watching Garrett intently though no clear emotion was set on his features as he did so. It didn’t make him feel uncomfortable per se but he did wish the man would say something. 

Eventually, he did and when Aro spoke his shoulders sort of slumped down as though disappointed. 

“You do not like that I am here in your private space, do you?” Perceptive as always but that was only a small part of Garrett’s problem and he had to tell Aro everything if he was to be understood- he knew relationships were better with honest communication. 

“Yes and no.” He couldn’t stop himself from running a hand through his hair as he began to pace, it was the only thing he could do because standing motionless and looking directly at the elder vampire would only make him further anxious about what he was about to say. 

“It doesn’t feel like my space anymore, and that isn’t saying you are the cause by being physically here, not at all. But you are the reason this place doesn’t feel like home because Volterra just feels better- you are your happiest there and you can feel it in the stone of the place I felt comfortable there with you- Hell, I kind of grew to like some of the coven even.” His smile felt forced but only because he was so concerned by his own feelings he couldn’t get past that to the joy flipping around in his stomach. 

Wanting to be with someone and be somewhere with them was something he hadn’t experienced properly in years. To find a permanent home and wanting to be there was new to him after all the years he had flitted from state to state, visiting city upon city looking for something that he had no name for. 

Now he did and while he was excited, he could not help but feel wildly embarrassed at how romantic and ordinary it made him. Garrett had never seen himself as a person of interest in the sense that people just had to get to know him- but he didn’t see himself as a dullard and no one had ever described him as such. 

But wanting to be in love and to settle somewhere with that person seemed so normal he almost rolled his eyes at himself. That was it though, the absolute confirmation that he wanted Aro, loved him and wanted to remain at his side for as long as he was able… for as long as Aro wanted him. 

The smile that spread over Aro’s lips was genuine and bright and he let out a laugh, unable to believe what he was hearing. When he crossed the room he was hesitant to touch Garrett but as a hand slid over Garrett’s shoulder his usual bold behaviour presented itself once again and he pulled the man into a kiss. 

Once they had parted Aro spoke, the unbridled joy had been reigned in and a more restrained smile had replaced the earlier expression. 

“I am under no illusions and I am aware that you refuse to join the coven for your own reason. You are not a man to be tied to a place in such a way- I urge you to consider making the Volturi your family even if just by name and nothing more. You will have protection and power that way.” He was right but the very idea of becoming Garrett of the Volturi coven did not sit well with him, the idea of that kind of power made him nervous as he wasn’t so sure he was strong enough to resist that kind of temptation. 

The Volturi were untouchable and should he become one of them he would be too. That was too alluring for him and he struggled to find words to explain his resistance in joining without offending his mate. 

“Let me think about it.” That seemed to be enough for Aro and he nodded allowing there to be space between them now as he stepped back and surveyed the room again as though he had just noticed where they were.

“Urgh, I know you don’t like this place. Aro you don’t have to be nice about it- with you being here I want to dress it up a bit but I honestly have no idea how to decorate an apartment.” This was easier territory over feelings and coven talk. It distracted Aro nicely and Garrett found himself genuinely interested in what the elder vampire had to say about the space he called… ‘home’. 

In the end, Aro walked through the entire place mentioning things he would find palatable that Garrett was urged to keep and furnishings that would match the current decor making it feel more like a home than a storage unit, Aro’s sentiment but Garrett’s words. 

This kept them busy for a few hours and Garrett had to physically stop the older man from leaving the apartment to go in search of a place to buy everything he wanted for the space. Garrett’s excuse was that they had plenty of time and that he would rather show him around town properly and perhaps hunt, they still had a wager going that Aro was useless and had to prove otherwise. 

This got his attention.

“When you are as powerful as I am you can make anyone do anything for you and I admit it can make some lazy but not I. I assure you that I am very capable in hunting without any assistance.” 

“Fighting words for a man that wanted to spend his time decorating and had actually forgotten that he needed to eat.” 

This earned a narrow-eyed glare from Aro but Garrett returned it with a shrug and a playful smirk and he circled Aro as though sizing him up as an opponent. As he took in the man’s appearance he couldn’t help but think how attracted to him he actually was. 

For the first time since they had met Garrett made a note of what Aro looked like properly. His long jet black hair that spilled over his shoulders in gentle dark waves, his pale pink lips like the outer petals of a rose, not too full but perfectly shaped Garrett thought to himself. He wasn’t as tall as Garrett but he had seen first hand that he was physically fit and strong perhaps not so much if he had been human but he needn’t take that into account.

He was interrupted when Aro turned to him with lust darkened eyes. 

“Are you going to take me to your favourite hunting spots are do you plan on eating me?” The purr in his voice rooted Garrett to the spot- they didn’t have to go out not really though he was sure it wasn’t his brain thinking these things. 

“Ahh, no we’re going out. Come on, I don’t know how long ago you fed and I definitely need to get out and stalk something that isn’t you.” They left the apartment without another word but the tension that followed them only soaked into their bones and by the time they got to the city Garrett truly believed he was vibrating with lust. 

Hunting would be a perfect distraction or running for a couple of hundred miles- either way, he had to release some of this obvious sexual tension even if Aro was not interested in doing the same. 

“Stay close, and the first one to feed wins. Try not to make too much of a scene... “ 

“I promise you nothing other than excellent competition and a chance to lose. What exactly do you offer to this little wager?” 

“I am going to regret this so so much but if you win you can choose what you want and if I win I can do the same.” 

With such an alluring offer Aro arched a brow looking interested and surprised, a smirk crept slowly over his lips and he only nodded in agreement before turning to the street they stood on and with keen eyes picked out several victims. 

Tugging Aro’s shirt he prompted the man into walking with him all the while he scanned the area for someone that society would not miss a loner of some description. 

Suddenly Aro darted off from his side and the game was on. 


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garrett sees the side of Aro he is well aware exists- a bloodthirsty and needless violence that simmers just beneath the surface of the Volturi royal. 
> 
> The hunt is on and the victor proposes... a few ideas. 
> 
> Garrett introduces Aro to a few vampiric residents of his city and Aro is given a rude awakening to just how little some know of him out in the wide world. 
> 
> Now, what are they going to do with the body?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am updating regularly as I am using this fic in my Nano participation this year.
> 
> While I am aware I have only a few readers and one loyal commenter (You're fantastic really thank you!) I can't help but keep up with this story. 
> 
> Long gone are the days I would consider writing a popular ship for the views ahaha!!

##  Chapter Twenty Six

_ Bleed into black clouds _

_ And I will lick them clean _

_ Turn to a tourniquet _

_ And cinch yourself to me _

  
  


The street blurred around him as he raced after Aro who tossed a smirk over his shoulder before turning sharply down an alley. It was sudden and he had not anticipated that Aro might already know his way around the city without his help.

There was the possibility that the man had been here before more than once after all Aro was not a young vampire and the Volturi had power and connections everywhere around the world. 

Scoffing at how easily he was being distracted by his thoughts Garrett followed down the darkened alley but stopped when he found Aro attached to a man by the neck. 

He moved to speak to give up his wager and admit defeat but fell silent when Aro raised a hand, his fingers poised to look more like claws in the gloom of the alleyway, without a moment of hesitation he plunged his hand into his victim's chest and tore out the still-beating heart. 

The man gurgled hopelessly trying to scream before he sank to his knees and then fell forward his face smashing into the ground, silent now as the remaining blood in his body seeped out into the wet concrete beneath him. 

It was a violent and unnecessary death but Aro didn’t seem to care as he crushed the organ in his hand into a bloody pulp and blood sprayed out spattering his face and just missing Garrett. 

The scent of blood filled the alley and Garrett was sure he and Aro wouldn’t be the only vampires here for long. Thankfully the only ones that would come skulking around were not violent just curious and they would want to know why there was such frivolous bloodshed. Garrett would answer any questions once he wasn’t so furious with his mate. 

“What are you doing?!” The words sprang from his lips unbidden paired with an incredulous look that gave way to a dark flash of anger as he stormed over to the elder vampire, who had the audacity to daintily lick his fingers clean as though the blood a sweet syrup and he had not just viciously ended a man’s life. 

“Winning our wager, my love.” There was a contented purr in his voice and his focus moved from his fingers, which he still licked, the tip of his tongue flicking out like a serpent, to Garrett who ended up having to look away from the ridiculous display. 

There had to be rules, he needed to set them now before Aro’s behaviour got out of hand- he knew the Volturi clean up crew likely lingered nearby but this was Garrett’s home city he didn’t want them there regardless of the helpful reason, it was still trouble on his turf. 

“Listen to me,” Garrett started, he looked over his shoulder to find the alley still empty, no human had decided to take a short cut down there, “You’ve lived for a long time without worrying about the consequences of your actions, but now it is time you stopped acting like a brat.” He stopped when Aro glared at him his lip curling into a sneer but he didn’t say anything which allowed Garrett to continue. 

“I mean it, you do not do this kind of thing again, you may be royalty but this is my city and I am king here, do you hear me?” Without realising it he had closed the majority of the space between himself and Aro and now he towered over the elder vampire almost menacingly, though, Aro seemed to be enjoying himself more than trying to look sorrowful or apologetic. 

“This is just because you didn’t win and you’re still hungry, isn’t it?” The infuriatingly contented purr remained as Aro spoke and he offered a somewhat demure smile while pulling a handkerchief from his pocket to dab the blood from his face. 

Rolling his eyes and with a displeased growl Garrett grabbed the silken material from Aro’s hands and wiped the spots on his face the other had missed, that was the end of that he supposed but he hoped Aro had taken in some of what he’d said. 

It seemed very easy to forgive the man regardless of how little he had cared for his actions. 

He really didn’t like that but the discomfort would likely fade because as soon as this was over something else would happen and Garrett’s life would, once again, be thrown into disarray with no end in sight. 

Well, at least he would always be busy. 

“Now that I’ve had my stern telling off from you, why don’t we talk about our little wager and what it is I want for being the winner?” This broke Garrett from his dismayed demeanour and he cracked a smile shaking his head all the while. 

“You are incorrigible- but a deal is a deal. What do you want?” Aro slid an arm around Garrett’s waist as he leaned in looking up at him with amused ruby eyes pausing momentarily feigning a thoughtful expression- he clearly already knew exactly what he wanted. 

“Spit it out already.” Garrett urged, a laugh bubbling from his chest as he gave in and snaked his arms around Aro forgetting they were stood in a dark and dingy alleyway with a corpse that had bled out all over the floor. 

“Let me see how to put this… hmmm, you have two options so really this is more like you won because I am letting you decide in my stead. Aren’t I so very generous?” He did not wait for an answer because Garrett just rolled his eyes now wondering what on earth Aro had decided for him.

“If I roll my eyes any harder they’ll get stuck on the back of my head.”

“Charming, anyhow, you can either… join the Volturi-” Aro was cut off almost instantly by Garrett’s extremely forceful no which elicited a scarily gleeful smile from the elder vampire who did not take the interruption to heart but instead continued as though uninterrupted- “Or you can marry me, which sounds like the decision you’re leaning toward. Tell me, does it sound like the lesser of two evils?” 

Rather than constructing a response, Garrett stood in stunned silence because out of all the things Aro could have asked of him this was definitely not what he had expected. There hadn’t been a moment where Garrett had thought this would be serious suggestions he had assumed something a little more x-rated would be on the table. 

His mouth opened and closed several times giving the perfect impression of a fish while his brain went into overload in a bid to catch up. While he floundered for a moment, his mouth in dire need of help from his mind, the familiar sound of vampires skulking brought him out of his stupor, their whispers indiscernible with human ears were heard clear as day by both he and Aro. Spinning on his heel Garrett turned to find three rather relieved and yet amused vampires looking at him from the entrance of the alleyway. 

“Oh, Garrett, thank God it’s you. We could smell the blood a mile away and were worried that maybe we had some trouble on our hands.” A man with freckles and flaming red curls spoke first in a lilting Irish accent, his bright smile had appeared as soon as he’d realised the man stood in the alleyway was his friend. 

The other man by his side was identical but his expression was weary as he eyed the body and then Aro who, thankfully, stood quietly at Garrett’s side though he did regard the group with interest. 

“No, just my uh… mate being dramatic as all get out.” The third person of the group finally spoke their words bursting out of them like they had no control over their speech in any way. 

“Your mate? I thought that was a blond lassy?” Her Scottish accent was thick and she ran her hand through her wild blond wavy hair revealing pale grey eyes that had previously been hidden behind the untamed mane. 

The twins nod waiting on an answer from Garrett their, now matching, cheeky grins putting him at ease. There would be no judgement from Finn and Aiden he wasn’t so sure about Aila, but she wouldn’t be vicious, perhaps just disappointed that there wouldn’t be another girl added to their circle of friends. 

“That was something that never actually started, but we’re friends so she’ll be around in the future, I suppose.” He wasn’t sure why he was trying to convince them to cheer up because none of them were sad or even upset about the change in his situation.

If anything, they just looked happy to see him which made sense seeing as he had been away from the city for quite some time. Garrett realised then that he hadn’t stepped foot in the city since before the battle with the Volturi, which frankly ended a little oddly and led him to be stood in an alleyway with their leader who he was now romantically linked to. 

He launched into the whole story and for the majority of the explanation, the three gave Aro plenty of side-eye action as though trying to measure him up. Every twist and turn had them either glaring at Aro or looking downright terrified up until the very end where Garrett finished with,

“He’s nice once you get to know him.” 

Aro looked less than thrilled that he had had to stand and listen to the entire story while blood diluted with rainwater sullied the pristine leather of his boots. 

“This would have been a far better introduction had we been indoors…” The snippy comment was paid no mind but Garrett did rub Aro’s back to soothe the ire which seemed to abate it well enough. 

“So, who are you?” Aiden asked his attention now fully on the Volturi leader. Bristling slightly at the man’s lack of awareness he gave a nod.

“Aro of the Volturi coven, I’m sure I truly need no introduction given how far our power reaches across the world.”

His words were met with blank faces and finally, Aila shrugged as she glanced to her two friends who also looked clueless. 

“Ah, I don’t mean to be disrespectful but we’ve no idea what a Volturi is.” Garrett could tell she was trying to be as polite as possible to him and he greatly appreciated it, he would thank her later when he had the time. 

“I’m sorry?” The questioning tone was cold even as it was spoken through a smile, but Garrett stepped in to save a small war breaking out between a slighted Aro and three innocent young vampires, who through no fault of their own did not recognise a man that rarely left Italy. 

“Of course they don’t recognise you, love. They’ve not broken vampire law, they are under the radar because they’re good people. The kind of people that make your life easy so why don’t we just let them enjoy the rest of the night and we can find a place to dispose of him before we head back out into town?” Peacemaking like this had never been Garrett’s strong point but he must have done something right because Aro nodded and neatly turned to look at the corpse that lay just beyond the street light that flooded the entrance of the alley with its flickering yellow beam. 

“Yes, what ever shall we do with him?” Gesturing to the corpse before setting his hands to his hips and nudging it with his foot. 

“We’ll leave you to your disposal job, have a nice evening and, Aro, it was… nice to meet you. Be good to Garrett.” The last part of Finn’s sentence came out harder than it was probably intended to but he stood by the sentiment and only moved when Aro looked back at him nodding having the decency to look perplexed. 

Aila gave them a lingering look until she was coaxed into walking away by a hand to her lower back with Aiden at her side. 

“What do you mean, what are we going to do with him?” Garrett was waving off his friends with a smile as he spoke, however, when he turned to Aro he was frowning. “You’re on your own with this one. Get disposing of, your majesty.”


	27. Chapter 27

##  Chapter Twenty Seven 

_I've never so adored you_

_I'm twisting allegories now_

_I want to complicate you_

_Don't let me do this to myself_

Watching Aro tear up the corpse was not how Garrett envisioned his evening playing out, and yet there he was listening to the sickening crunch of bones as they were snapped to make the disposal just that little easier. 

In the end, he had given in and helped Aro by throwing some of the body parts in the river and into various dumpsters around the city. Meanwhile, Aro grumbled about having to get his hands dirty which only brightened Garrett’s spirits rather than dampen them or prompt a sympathetic response. 

After they had disposed of the corpse Aro professed that he would rather return to the apartment than traipse around town in a filthy suit. This caused Garrett to near fall about laughing but he wouldn’t reveal why he found the situation so funny much to Aro’s displeasure, but to soothe him Garrett promised to find him something to wear before they got home and he would pay for the suit to be dry cleaned in the meantime. 

“While I am aware that I should be thankful that you are willing to fix my problem, which must seem so very arbitrary to you, this could have been avoided if you had just gotten rid of the body for me.”

“Oh yeah, sure. Let me just toss it into the incinerator I have at my disposal. You were the one that let the competition get to your head, you’re a sore loser I can see it a mile off even when you win you lose.” His words held truth and it must have struck a chord in Aro because he didn’t argue he just huffed a breath through his nose and continued walking at Garrett’s side in silence. 

Pouting. That’s what he was doing but Garret didn’t really mind it. Everything felt a lot more comfortable than it had been since he had met the man properly all those weeks ago in Volterra. 

There wasn’t a moment when he felt like his words had to be measured when speaking to Aro now. They had both come to accept that they were together and as most couples do, they bickered and made fun of one another. How they had gotten to this point so early on in the relationship could only be contributed to the fact that fate had intervened so prevalently. 

It wasn’t a complaint just an observation. Truthfully, Garrett was pleased they had gotten to this point already because the awkward feelings and misunderstanding had been getting too much to bear. 

They ducked into a store, or rather Garrett did, Aro lingered outside unable to bring himself to enter looking the way he did. Garrett had to agree it was a good idea, what store clerk wouldn’t be concerned about a man in a suit that was strangely stained? 

If the scent of dried blood was strong enough for Garrett to be troubled by it the store clerk would definitely smell it too. It was a hassle both men just didn’t need, so being the valiant partner that he was, Garrett headed inside and grabbed something new for Aro to wear. 

It wouldn’t be anywhere near the quality he would be used to but it would be clean and new so really Aro couldn’t complain even though Garrett knew only too well he would regardless. 

Back at the apartment, Aro vanished off to change he returned moments later in the clean clothes wearing an unimpressed expression. He didn’t say anything but really he didn’t have to not with the look on his face that expertly portrayed how unhappy he was. 

It wasn’t like Garrett had chosen awful clothes, he had gone with a black shirt and black slacks- it was probably the fact they were cheap that Aro didn’t like- it was probably because the man was a snob. 

“Can we talk about what you said earlier?” Taking the focus off the clothing seemed like a good idea and really Garrett needed to talk about what Aro had said to him regarding winning the wager. 

The whole thing was supposed to just be a little fun, to blow off some steam and maybe bond more. It wasn’t supposed to end up with a marriage proposal even if it had been a joke, which he hoped it was, it still threw him off and Garrett wanted to know what prompted Aro to even say such a thing. 

“I said a lot of things earlier, you may need to be more specific.” The tone was casual and natural as he perused a book he had picked up not moments before Garrett had started speaking. When Garrett didn’t respond he looked up and with a sigh set the book down after seeing the concerned expression he was being gifted with. 

“The wager win, I know, I know. You’re wondering how serious I am.” Aro looked down at the book he had been reading and his fingers trailed over the embossed gold title but he wasn’t seeing the words not if the far-away look he had in his eyes gave anything away. That look soon vanished, his vulnerability present one moment then gone the next, it was replaced with a grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes. 

“Oh, I know it was dishonourable to use your innocent little game to profess my wish… but I would like for us to be together in that way.” 

Garrett wanted to say yes. With all his being he tried to reject the idea, tried to find revulsion in it but the heart wants what the heart wants- and his wanted to revel in that cliche to make himself feel better. 

Because after all was said and done, he had fought hard enough to be with Aro, that battle wasn’t over, he deserved something like this! Something mundane and as normal as marriage. 

Wasn’t he at least owed that? 

“You’re still married.”

Excuse me?” Aro blinked.

“Your wife, Aro, I swear on all that is- You are still married to Sulpicia!” His words prompted him to move toward Aro and physically shake him by the shoulders all the while watching as a look of realisation dawned upon him. 

“That is an issue we can resolve in next to no time.” It was too throw away for it to sit right with Garrett and he kept his hands on Aro’s shoulders squeezing them as it to comfort even though the man in front of him seemed perfectly fine. 

“She isn’t just an issue- she is your wife and up until a few weeks ago you loved her, adored her as far as I know. Feelings can’t just be switched off, Aro. She is hurting a lot and maybe we need to address that first and foremost.” Ultimately it was understandable why Sulpicia was going out of her way to get her husband back and Garrett felt for her, he really did but…

She was still his opposition, so to speak. Garrett didn’t want to give Aro up and Sulpicia wasn’t going to let him go either. Aro, had it easiest being in the middle- who wouldn’t adore being the centre of affections for two people? 

“You’re under the illusion that feelings cannot be switched off. Of course, they can, are you emotionally naive? Have you not felt the keen heat of lust only for it to be promptly cooled to ice when your would-be lover utters something so wildly ridiculous that you wonder if the brain cells actually exist inside their heads?” First of all, that was awfully mean of him but expected from Aro, second of all, was he emotionally immature? 

Garrett mentally recoiled for a moment. 

Granted, he had always been open about not having many relationships in the past but he knew what he was doing and how they worked, didn’t he? This was not something he had expected would be questioned and yet.

“Lust is completely different to love, you can’t use that as an example.” Garrett countered while fighting the rising embarrassment that crawled up from his stomach to his throat- he was pleased he couldn’t blush he didn’t need that visual enhancement of his mortification spread over his face. 

“You’re right, my apologies. However, my comment still stands, one can fall out of love almost instantly. What you are thinking of is the aftermath of living without that constant companion. Moments wherein you see something that reminds you of them that you would usually tell them about but now you cannot. The hole inside you that was once filled by their presence will gape for weeks, months or even years but the loss of love is not what you would feel so keenly it is the companionship.” There it was and just like that Aro had explained exactly what he was feeling without mentioning himself directly. 

“Do you miss her?” Why had he even asked that? 

The sharp look he received had Garrett wincing but he soon saw Aro relent and his shoulders dropped when he nodded. It seemed more like he was admitting defeat of the situation rather than showing any sort of vulnerability over it. 

“She was a constant in my life for thousands of years, her absence in my life is obvious and leaves me feeling uncomfortable.” _Oh._

_Garrett, buddy you have opened one hell of a can of worms here now._

“Then… don’t you think you owe her a proper conversation and the full respect of an explanation?” It really wasn’t his place to say all of this but someone had to be the voice of reason because Aro seemed incapable of dealing with emotions. 

He nodded.

“I will contact the coven this evening and ask them to locate her. This may mean time apart from you. Do you think we can survive it?” The teasing in Aro’s voice was faint as it grew to sound more uneasy, he was worried. 

Oh, Garrett hadn’t forgotten the last time they had been apart. Sometimes he was sure his joints still felt stiff but it was likely his mind playing tricks on him. The thought of petrifying again was enough to make a full-body shudder run through him and he shook his head at the idea of it happening again. 

“Different circumstances. I am willing to try if it means you and Sulpicia can do this privately. I think it would be in poor taste for me to be there seeing as I have already pissed her off by being at the coven and got cosy with her man on her home turf.” 

“I’m not ‘her man’, and I hate it when you say such things. Yes, I admit that I have, so far, handled this terribly but it wasn’t as though I planned this in any way! There is no guidebook for dealing with the fates and their flights of fancy.” 

They both fell silent for a long time giving each other the quiet to recompose themselves. This was fear rearing its ugly head brought on by the thought of the two of them having to separate again. 

Garrett moved to the sofa and flopped down onto the soft leather letting himself sink into the cushions. Once comfortable he gestured for Aro to join him and pulled him onto his lap, at first Aro struggled to remove himself from Garrett’s lap arguing that it felt ridiculous to be sat in such a way that a child might.

“Are you really that embarrassed by this? I want to be close to you but I also want to be comfortable. You’re really bad at this, did you and Sulpicia never relax around each other?” 

This had the elder vampire settle almost immediately as he fell deep in thought, and Garrett took this opportunity to wrap both arms around his mate and pull him close which Aro allowed being too busy lost in his own mind. 

Neither of them said anything as they rested against one another taking a moment to truly experience the act of just being together in the moment. It was this kind of moment Garrett realised, that was the most precious to him. 

The walls were down between the two of them and all they wanted was to experience comfort and the feeling of being near their mate without any expectations. This was intimacy at its finest as far as Garrett was concerned. 

After what felt like hours, but was likely more close to an hour at most, Aro shuffled against Garrett and sighed almost dreamily. His head was on Garrett’s shoulder and when he spoke Garrett could feel the vibration in his bones- it was extremely pleasant. 

“Sulpicia and I, we never had moments like these. We are from a different time and in some aspects of our lives, we did not grow or change. Parts of our relationship were never updated to reflect the modern world. 

We were intimate and we spent a lot of time together all moments I shall never forget but I do not recall having moments such as this. Her hand fit perfectly to mine and so we’d often sit side by side, her hand in mine and we would talk for hours and hours. 

That was how we were and how we were happy to be for as long as time would allow it. 

Looking back it seems so formal and I admit that I do feel some regret for how restrictive we could be. There was no need for it we were always alone together no one could see who we had the chance to be behind closed doors and yet we remained the same as though all eyes were on us every second of the day and night.” The sadness in his voice was clear and as he sat up to look Garrett in the eyes his expression was one of melancholy that seemed to change his face and for a moment he looked young and weary. 

“I must contact the coven, you speak with logic and wisdom I did not expect from you of all people. Do not give me that look, you have never claimed to be an academic and nor shall you ever do such- but you are right, I owe my wife an explanation.” He extracted himself from Garrett’s lap without another word and vanished off into another room to contact his coven. 

“Can’t say anything nice without it being a backhanded compliment, can you?” His words were mumbled he was well aware that Aro had heard him and was likely smiling wickedly at his response. 

He took this time to go out and hunt for himself. It was quick and easy and close to home, something he didn’t usually do but for the sake of quickness, he risked it and disposed of the body by strategically leaving it with a broken neck beneath a long drop in a building site. 

Garrett could be quite creative when he wished it. 

When he returned he found Aro stood in the foyer by the coat stand, he had obviously been waiting for Garrett’s return for some time. 

“She is back at the coven, I will return there tonight.”

That was quick, and as much as Garrett wanted to complain that they had just got here he just nodded and kept his mouth shut. He didn’t hide his expression of dismay and Aro closed his eyes a moment as though steeling himself for something. 

“I know it isn’t the best of timing, but you said yourself that she deserves the truth and the respect she is owed. I will be back at your side as soon as I am able.” 

It wasn’t enough to hear that, and while he trusted Aro he did not trust the man’s wife. Garrett knew all too well that he would not be happy until Aro was back at his side but this did give him the opportunity to see if he was capable of being without him for a prolonged amount of time. 

It had been disastrous last time but this time could be different. Both men had accepted their fate now and so the high power calling for them to be together should have been appeased, at least for now. 

“I’ll be here waiting for you.”


	28. Chapter 28

##  Chapter Twenty Eight

_ All the things I've done and seen _

_ Still, I don't know what life means _

  
  


With Aro now heading back to Volterra virtually the same day they had arrived back in the US, Garrett was left at a loose end.

The thought of moping around for a few days seemed the best course of action but in the end, he knew it would be no good, he could still feel Aro and he could feel the misery in the man as acutely as he felt it in himself.

Separation was not fun, even when they both knew it had to be this way.

Eventually, Garrett headed out into the city to find Finn, Aiden and Aila. They would be a blessed distraction for him and he was sure they had questions for him about Aro that would have only seemed impolite with the man in question stood right there.

But first, he wanted to wallow, he needed to get it out of his system because he did not want his friends to see him pining like a lovesick puppy, no matter how much he trusted them he didn’t want his reputation to take too much of a beating.

There were still parts of himself that he did not show his friends from the city if there was one person who knew Garrett better than anyone else it would be Carlisle but that was about it. This city was his and he had to show his strength even if he wasn’t an official ruler of anything he was still well respected.

Threw himself backwards onto the couch and closed his eyes for a moment trying to ignore the emptiness of the apartment around him. How odd it was for someone to spend only a few hours here with him and suddenly it was their home not just his, it was theirs together…

“Pull yourself together.” His voice rough with anger as the words were whispered to the ceiling, his head thrown back throat exposed to the starkly empty room.

His eyes spring open as he senses the presence of an immortal. They were close, too close for comfort but as he got to his feet he feels familiarity and, with slow cautious steps, he moved to the foyer.

Someone stood just beyond his front door, they paced for a moment and sighed loudly before knocking on the door, and while Garrett had expected it he still jumped at the sound. Cursing himself mentally he lurched forward, on guard, and pulled open the front door to see Kate stood looking a little bedraggled from being caught in a sudden downpour.

She gave him a sheepish smile only stepping inside once Garrett had moved aside to let her in.

“Kate, what are you doing here, aren’t you supposed to be back home by now?” There was no disguising the happiness in his voice as he questioned her. “Come on in, through that door, make yourself at home.”

Kate took a seat on the edge of the sofa, perched like a small quivering bird weathering a winter storm alone, something was on her mind and Garrett honestly wasn't sure he could handle anything dramatic at that moment.

A quiet life, that was all he had ever wanted and he had had such a thing as that not so long ago. Until fate decided to be… extremely unhelpful.

“I’m sorry to come here unannounced. Carlisle gave me your address- said you’d be here with Aro… where is he?” When she realised they were alone together her expression changed, she seemed far less comfortable and a lot more forlorn.

It was odd behaviour and he worried if she was really ok?

“Kate, has something happened?” When she shook her head he could only frown confused as to why she seemed so out of sorts, Not wanting to disrespect his friend he couldn’t help but feel she was lying to him but he didn’t press.

“So uh… hey, you know about all that being in love with someone you never expected to be, right?”

Oh, great, this definitely sounded like a conversation he was not qualified to be having with someone. Still, he gave a slow nod and sat next to her leaving enough space between them so that they were not touching.

“Something did happen, then?”

Kate let out an embarrassed laugh and she wrung her hands together eyes purposely directed to the floor avoiding Garrett’s concerned expression. She genuinely looked to be on the verge of tears when she gathered the courage to actually look at him.

“Yeah…”

It was slow going but there was no real reason why he had to push her to talk. Truth be told, while he was exhausted of all drama he was pleased to see her and appreciated that the distraction came in the form of a friend.

“That wasn’t what I originally wanted to talk to you about but you really seem to be the best person to talk to about it so here I am! Though, you didn’t answer my question about Aro.” Kate glanced around the room again her bright eyes looked sad when she realised he wasn’t there and instantly she reached out a hand to take one of Garrett’s and gave it a squeeze.

“Everything is fine between us before you jump to conclusions. I see the cogs in your head are turning- he’s just doing something he should have done some time ago, he’ll be back as soon as he can.”

“Sounds like you need to still convince yourself of that, but we won’t mention that again. Want a distraction so you can look at me incredulously?” The sadness in her eyes lingered for a moment more before leaving completely and she seemed to return to herself again. Making herself comfortable now she kicked off her boots and crossed her legs as she sat back on the couch.

“I want to start a new coven with you and Aro.”

She was right about the incredulous look he now gifted her with.

“W-wait, what?!” The words came out stuttered from sheer surprise. Surely she could not be serious about this. “You’re out of your mind, can you imagine Aro giving up his power to become a coven member with us? I think he’d die laughing if I suggested it.” Starting a coven of their own, would it be that easy?

Who even knew if they would be compatible? What if they spent a week together and wanted to kill one another? Aro was infuriating at times and Garrett knew he himself could be stubborn.

It seemed doomed to fail even in his own thoughts.

“How would you know if you don’t ask?” Kate countered coolly, she seemed to think she had this all figured out and maybe she did in her mind but she needed him to agree with her for this to really take off.

“It wouldn’t happen because Aro is adamant that I join the Volturi.” Garrett imagined his expression was one of bleak displeasure. When Kate visibly blanched at his admission he shrugged as if to say ‘Does that answer your question?’.

“Are you seriously considering it?” Of course, he wasn’t but he wasn’t sure how much shock she could handle if he casually dropped the fact Aro wanted to marry him into the mix. “You aren’t. You aren’t an idiot... are you?” A wicked smile from Kate and suddenly any tension Garrett had felt since her arrival dissipated like fog on a summer day.

“Ahaha, I keep telling him no. The Volturi aren’t my style, too proper and they seem dusty and dull if you ask me. I like to roam. I have travelled from one side of America to another and in that time so much changed that I doubt I will ever get bored of wandering the cities of this country.” Even with all the history and the ruins… Italy could never be his home even with Aro there it would not be his and he would never feel comfortable roaming the streets, fields and forests there.

“But there is something else, right?” Sharp as ever was dear Kate. She smirked when Garrett looked away biting his lip undecided on whether to tell her about the marriage idea that Aro had put forward.

“Of course there is something else, there is always something else. Nothing with Aro is simple and easy. But you won’t ever work out what he said to me.” It felt good to just talk aloud about what was going on instead of letting his thoughts race. Back and forth with Aro was like a dance and Garrett hadn’t quite picked up the rhythm well enough to keep up with the steps.

Stumbling with Aro didn’t feel like failure, it felt like growing. Garrett would live with his hands outstretched to catch his mate just as Aro would do the same for him. Their time together would be like living under the sun on an eternal spring day.

Gods, that sounded delusional and yet it was how he felt. Sickeningly in love with someone he once assumed would kill him for fun when bored.

“Let me guess, he wants to keep Sulpicia as his wife and have you as his mistress or whatever the male equivalent of a mistress is… does such a word exist? Anyway, that is as outrageous as my mind can get right now.

I still have my own problems to deal with.” Garrett instantly brushed aside his conversation about Aro, though Kate’s suggestion chilled him.

“Right, about that. You said you were having romantic issues. I don’t know why you thought I would be best to handle this but go ahead, tell me what’s up.” 

“I don’t want to talk about that. I want to know that you’ll talk to Aro about starting a new coven. This means a lot to me, Garret. When I left Volterra something felt different in me and I realised that seeing you live, however, you wanted even if it meant dealing with the Volturi was something I envied.

Having a clan or a coven or whatever, it is comforting and I love having that but I want something new. You’re never in one place long enough to worry about feeling stagnant or trapped.” While he understood her need for change, and how desperately she wanted it just by seeing the look on her face, he wasn’t the best person to give opinions on this.

Garrett remembered that, for a spell, he had shied away from social interaction in favour of the great expanse of land that was America. He had travelled alone, hunted alone and even refused to make eye contact with other immortals or well-intentioned humans. That had been a dark time for him, a time of grey clouds hanging over his head the pitter-patter of rain around him a staccato beat that fit with the lonely song that played from every pore of his being.

Feet on the ground and a line on a map to follow. Automatic was his way of life back then.

Self-isolation was a product of depression he realises now.

Carlisle had met him not long after his steady decline into despair and taught Garrett ways to take the steps back up to neutral then to healthy. It wasn’t a perfect incline but he got there and it was why he was who he was that very day.

“Kate, is this really what you want?”

Kate nodded brows posed to move her expression from one of concern to pleading. All he had to do was suggest it to Aro, if nothing came of it Kate would surely understand. This wasn’t something they needed to push at.

If something didn’t take off it didn’t take off and that was that.

“When Aro comes back I’ll ask him, but there would only be three of us, we might need someone else. Any ideas?”

“We can talk about that later because I have an idea. Thank you, Garrett, this means so much to me. I feel comfortable with you and surprisingly, I am not as afraid of Aro as I thought I’d be.

That might be your influence.

He isn’t a kitten but you’ve definitely tamed a beast.”

_ Oh, if you only knew what kind of beast he was… _ Garrett thought grimly as he recalled the scene from that very night- the image of that heart in Aro’s hand caused Garrett’s own to clench.

The man thrilled him a little too much.


	29. Chapter 29

##  Chapter Twenty Nine

_ Some people are one way _

_ That's how they stay _

_ Some people find one life _

_ They live that way _

Kate stayed with him for a few days, she would vanish off to wander the city alone for a few hours only returning when it began raining. She explained that with her gift it was dangerous for her to be caught in a downpour- it was how power cuts and death occurred. 

“We have enough on our conscience as vampires without causing electrical storms by simply taking a walk.” She said this all from the comfort of Garrett’s couch which she was draped over wrapped in a fluffy blanket she had bought for herself while out discovering the city.

Having the company had fully distracted Garrett from Aro’s departure, though he felt it keenly when he least expected. A flash of long black hair at the corner of his vision left him reeling for a moment until he regained himself knowing full well this was not his mate.

He would have felt him nearby.

Thankfully he hadn’t seemed to be petrifying in any way and was confident that if he was not Aro would not be suffering either. This made the separation, somewhat, easier but not by much.

It was a stormy night, as Kate relaxed on the sofa like a great cat under her blankets, and Garrett read, the rain outside relentless as it spattered against the window with such force the noise created a dull roar.

The sensation of another immortal being close by had them on sudden high alert and Garrett moved to the door quickly on silent feet while Kate hung back- she was wary of the rain.

Pulling open the door Garrett stepped onto the porch, the overhang above him was useless to the slanting rain that now assaulted him, peering out into the night a dark figure shifted until the silhouette of a person could be made through the sheets of grey.

As they moved closer Garrett stood his ground but as their face came into view the tension in his body became tenfold and he felt as though he were the strings of a violin tightened to breaking point.

It did not bode well to see Marcus at his doorstep, expression grim as rain slid down his face, his usual Volturi uniform clinging to his thin frame as he approached Garrett. 

Stepping out into the rain Garrett did all he could to not run to him. Whatever calm he had in him dissolved and with a stony expression met Marcus halfway keeping him from the apartment.

“You better have some good news for me or I can’t promise you I won’t tear your head from your shoulders.” The words were growled out from behind bared teeth, the snarl fearsome and for a moment Garrett believed himself incapable of composing himself again.

Infuriatingly, Marcus only smiled serenely.

“To have an ending would be welcome. The last page of the book I have written with every day I am still alive. Would this conversation not be best had inside?” Marcus glanced behind Garrett to the apartment and offered a smile prompting Garrett to look behind him.

Kate stood at the door far enough in that the rain did not touch her. She did not disguise her concern and mild disgust at seeing Marcus, though Garrett was sure the man had done nothing to her to warrant such a reaction.

Without a word, Garrett gestured for Marcus to follow him back inside. Kate had already retaken her seat on the couch, not as comfortable as she had been but still with the blanket around her shoulders, all the while eyeing Marcus.

“I left Volterra as soon as I was able. Aro and Sulpicia are gone and we cannot track their movements. It seems they vanished without a trace- but there is something else.” He seemed hesitant to continue and so instead drew out his silence by removing his cloak and moving back to the foyer to hang it to dry.

When he returned Garrett offered him a seat which he took gratefully. As the silence continued Garrett grew irritable but did not voice this pushing Marcus would do no good- if he had bad news Garrett had to allow the man to formulate his sentences.

“Aro left a note for us at the coven, detailing that he and Sulpicia were meant to be together after all. He explained that while he felt such deep affection for you it was not love and that he denounced the relationship the two of you had.

There was no information given on where he was going with Sulpicia, only that they needed to leave Volterra for a time to deal with business elsewhere and that upon his return we are not to mention you in any capacity.” Kate was on her feet instantly and at Garrett’s side though her hand hovered over his shoulder unsure if it was wise to touch him.

No, no, no… this didn’t feel right. Something was off about this all of this and yet his heart threatened to break- Aro had been gone for only four days and now he was missing with his wife?

“Please, let me offer you comfort. I may be the bearer of bad news but all is not lost and by the look on your face you do not believe a word I said regarding Aro’s letter. You are an intelligent man, Garrett, it is evident in how you have handled our volatile leader.” His chest ached thinking of Aro. They had bonded so intensely and in such a short space of time that he felt raw and exposed- thoughts and feelings Kate had distracted him from came flooding into him and he took a step back his shoulder now bumping Kate’s hovering hand.

“I see your relationship with Aro in a way no other can. The threads that tie you to him are unbroken they are strong like steel. There is something afoot and I strongly suggest you return to Volterra with me.”

Even with confirmation that Aro had likely not done this of his own volition did not bring any sort of relief to Garrett. With a clenched jaw and his hands balled into fists he nodded. It would do no good for him to sit waiting for something to happen when he could be working towards resolving this himself.

There was no telling who was loyal to Aro and who used him as a fount for power under the guise of an adoring subject. The royal guard was there to protect the core members of the Volturi but who, when it came to the very base of it, would they follow without hesitation?

“Garrett, I’ll come with you. We can contact Carlisle on the way back to Italy. You don’t have to do this alone.” Kate’s voice was quiet but firm already gearing up to argue with Garrett because she knew he would bite back. 

“Don’t involve Carlisle, he’s already been involved in too much of this. You can come with me if you want but don’t ask anyone else and don’t tell anyone else about what is happening.” With that, the three of them prepared to leave until Kate stopped them and with a sheepish smile that likely would have resulted in a blush had she the capability said,

“Can we wait the rain out first?”

“I’ll call us a cab. I don’t want any more time to pass from when Aro vanished. Here,” Garrett grabbed a hooded jacket from the back of a disused armchair and tossed it to Kate who threw it on in seconds pulling the hood over her head. It was huge on her but it meant the sleeves covered her hands and so even if they were only in the rain for a few minutes at most she would be protected.

“How are we getting to Volterra, Aro would have taken the private jet with him unless that is how you got here?” Garrett watched as Marcus pulled on his still soaking wet cloak, the older man grimaced but said nothing about it.

“We all have our own wealth, I travelled here via aeroplane. It is small but it was not used with the funds of the Volturi, I am hesitant for them to know anything of my whereabouts in this situation.

You must not lend your trust to many in the coven, Garrett. And while I am here with good intentions and I truly wish to help, do not trust me either. It is easier to keep your back to the wall lest a waiting knife embeds itself there. Within the walls of the coven house tread lightly.” With that warning, Marcus moved off to stand out on the porch to await the cab which Garrett had not yet called.

Both he and Kate shared a look, they were on edge none of what Marcus had said since arriving had brought any comfort to Garrett. And Kate just looked murderous but they both knew killing Marcus was exactly what he wanted and would bring no relief to either of them.

Instead, Garrett busied himself with calling a cab, the phone line in his home still connected thanks to Carlisle though it took him some time to remember any numbers for taxi companies in the area.

Who needed cars when walking was easier and more often than not faster for a vampire? He kept telling him this was only for Kate and that he didn’t care if Marcus looked like an ancient and drowned rat in a fancy suit.

No one said anything in the cab ride to the airport. And for once Garrett was pleased that they were able to breeze through any sort of security without being bothered- Volturi money, even if it was personally Marcus’, was helpful, to say the least. Cash could make anyone look the other way and although it probably looked like they were mobsters Garrett found he couldn’t find it in him to care.

It took him a while to settle on the plane and Kate threw him concerned glances when she thought he wasn’t aware. She hadn’t needed to come with him and when he voiced this she just rolled her eyes and turned to look out of the window.

“Someone has to be there to stop you from making ridiculously impulsive decisions. Out of the two of you, I think Aro is the impulse control and that is only because it would physically kill you to disappoint him.”

There was a moment where Garrett had wanted to argue that such a statement was untrue, that he was the voice of logic and reason for both of them but really he wasn’t. Back in New Orleans, his panic had been more that he didn’t want the Volturi sniffing around the place he called home- it wasn’t anything to do with sense and responsibility. Crossing his arms he huffed quietly but any irritation he felt melted away when Kate laughed at him and nudged him with her elbow as a form of apology.

Ok, so maybe they would be a compatible coven. Maybe it was worth actually looking into and suggesting it to Aro? Marcus had said just about enough to confirm that the Volturi were awful, but he hadn’t needed to even try because Garrett had seen it first hand for himself.

If he could convince Aro to leave they could start a new life elsewhere. The possibility of getting married wouldn’t seem heavy if they had the chance to enjoy their lives together.

“We are nearing Italy, there will be a car waiting for us when we land. Garrett, remember what I told you about trust in the coven house- when we arrive do not speak to anyone and head straight to Aro’s private quarters. Not the ones he shared with Sulpicia… I know you know where I mean.” It felt seedy hearing Marcus talk about the private rooms Aro held under the coven house, not because he should not know about them but because he spoke so openly about them.

A shiver ran through him, Marcus was trying to help he knew that, but the earlier warning from the very same man had embedded itself into his brain and he couldn’t shake it off.

As the plane moved into position for its descent Garrett could feel his stomach drop. If the Volturi could not locate Aro what hope does he have?


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty

_It's just beginning,_

_oh no goodbyes,_

_sleep through the ending,_

_but this is how we die._

As soon as they arrived at the coven house Garrett left Kate and Marcus at the foyer and headed down the myriad of halls until he came to the staircase that lead deep into the earth. 

Hesitating at the first step Garrett paused a moment to calm his thoughts- his mind briefly on the fact he did not see Bianca at her desk as they entered and it only occurred to him then that he had no idea the time or date. 

He sincerely hoped Bianca was safe and well. 

There had been several moments on his trip here that he considered that perhaps Aro did not truly love him and that he and Sulpicia were the right fit for one another. For the most part he was simply angry that it had gotten so easily under his skin, and more so that he was starting to believe the lies populating his mind. Why would Aro have gone through all of this just to brush it off as a game or an experiment? 

Many people would take great delight in telling him that Aro was capable of such callous behaviour but Garrett knew better, Hell, he knew even Sulpicia would tell him they were wrong even though they were on opposing sides. She would never sully Aro’s reputation with lies.

That was the problem with all of this. They both loved Aro and they both wanted to be with him- thing is Aro had made his decision and it hadn’t sat well with the queen of the coven and so she had elected to ignore the decision. 

But love did that to people. 

Love made a mess of people. Wars had been started over the fact one soul coveted another. The hurt inside someone manifested into something ugly because of love and words were often spoken that could crush a heart.

It was heat, hurt, the feeling of flying and falling simultaneously, a soft summer breeze and a biting winter wind- soft petal like snowflakes and thorns biting into skin. It was teeth and tongue and lips, and it was heart, soul and spirit. 

Everything crammed into one human sized heart and then people had to wade through the rest of their lives feeling this fullness and worrying how fragile it was and how long they would own it and hold it within themselves. 

With his features set into something akin to determination Garrett took his first step down into the darkness toward Aro’s private rooms. 

Pulling open the trap door Garrett finally descended the last set of steps. 

He closed the door behind him and picked his way across the room. He stepped over the broken vase, shredded and discarded red drapes that littered the floor like rose petals and a large splintered piece of wood that likely belonged to a table once upon a time. 

The other door, that led to the bedchamber was ajar and Garrett didn't hesitate in pushing it open. 

_Something about this feels familiar…_ Garrett thought when his gaze landed upon a familiar figure. 

Aro sat at a plain and tidy writing desk, a fountain pen in hand as he wrote something at a leisurely pace on white card. 

When he glanced up to see who had come to him the writing ceased. The pen slid from his hand and the Volturi leader was on his feet in seconds. 

_Oh.. oh! The dream… I’ve seen this all play about before…_ But oh how good it was to see Aro. He was there solid and real right before his very eyes. 

Cautiously, Garrett approached him his eyes never leaving Aro's as he made his way around the desk. Once face to face, he could see the lingering effects of the petrification on his skin, his cheeks down his neck still looked rough to the touch like tree bark. 

How had this man suffered this fate when Garrett himself had not? There were so many questions he was desperate to ask! How was he here when none of the Volturi could find him?! Was he in pain? What had happened with Sulpicia? 

Garrett closed his eyes for a moment and stilled his mind- he needed this time to be with Aro he did not need to interrogate him. 

The petrification though worried him- they had been so sure of the cause and now they were back to square one… 

Aside from that Aro seemed completely himself. His only concern was how quiet the man was, there was no sharp tongue with something teasing or wicked to cut Garrett open with. 

Taking a leap of faith that this was not an apparition he leaned forward and pressed his forehead against Aro's and instantly he felt the man before him relax. 

"You've come home, tell me you've come home?" His own words seemed to startle him and he took a step back breaking all contact with Garrett. 

Something was truly amiss here, Aro seemed out of sorts, confused and so unlike himself. It was as though someone had taken him apart and put him together haphazardly with little care to how the pieces of the man fit together.

Whatever had happened, it hadn’t gone well if the evidence in the other room was to suggest anything. All of this was pushed aside when Aro lifted his hand to Garrett’s cheek to brush his hair from his face.

To feel his touch again was something close to Heaven Garrett was sure of it. 

The hand that cupped Garrett's cheek slid to the back of his neck and he was pulled down to Aro's height and into a deep and desperate kiss. 

The confusion and hesitation that had built up inside him over the few days slid from his shoulders and he pressed Aro against the closest wall deepening the kiss further. 

It felt good and right. 

"Tell me you've come home, Garrett, please," Aro whispered against his lips almost begging him as he pressed himself into Garrett. 

Pulling away he kept Aro at arms length trying to work out what was wrong with the man, any outward sign. He could feel panic rising in his chest it crawled into his throat and he had to swallow down the fear that threatened to embed itself inside him. 

“I was waiting for you at home, I was waiting for you to come back. What happened between you and Sulpicia?” This seemed to bring Aro out of whatever confused state he had been in and the look of pure relief that washed over him eased Garrett’s mind and heart somewhat. 

“When I returned here Sulpicia was waiting for me as if she knew I would return- when she saw me she greeted me with open arms and tried to kiss me. It was as though nothing ill had passed between us and she greeted me like she always had when I had been away from her side,” Aro paused and frowned, the memory seemed to be a painful one to him. Garrett didn’t interrupt him but he stayed close to Aro ensuring they were touching, even if it was more for his benefit than Aro’s. 

If Garrett had anything to say about any of this it was that Sulpicia’s behaviour was suspicious to say the least, and while he knew he should give her the benefit of the doubt he knew she was just as calculating as Aro.

How had he been blind to that?

Did Aro trust his wife implicitly? 

“That doesn’t explain anything other than she was just happy to see you… maybe.” When Garrett spoke Aro shot him a sharp glare as though unhappy his thoughts had been stalled by Garrett’s efforts to chime in on the situation. “It doesn’t explain this, love.” His voice was impossibly soft as he lifted his hand to slowly stroke the rough skin still resembling the bark of a tree on Aro’s cheek and neck. 

All down the left side of his face and neck was a faded reminder of the petrification. How far it went he did not know and didn’t feel it would be welcomed if he questioned it. At least, not yet. 

The worry in his tone must have translated across to Aro clearly as the man’s expression morphed into one of regret, a true and sincere sorrow. 

“I was a fool to believe her. Her attempt to hurt me worked only too well and this is what I have to show for it. Thankfully it begun to fade relatively quickly once I returned to my senses.” This only caused further confusion for Garrett but instead of pressing the man for further details he led Aro to the soft sofa across from his writing desk and coaxed him into sitting down. 

“It went sour from the moment I stopped her from kissing me. I’ve never seen ice in her expression the way I did at that moment- I understand what I’ve done to her. The hurt and humiliation caused by my actions. 

Garrett, I am an awful man, I know that and I have never regretted anything I have done, because while I have committed such awful acts in the eyes of many vampires I have upheld vampire law. 

There is no place for weakness in the Volturi or in any royal court. Time and time again behaviour repeats itself and it is the norm. You can be a hated ruler that adheres to the laws set for everyone or you can be loved and watch your empire fall to ruin from the inside out in the name of justice and fanaticals. 

But the second I think of myself and what I truly want, I felt a proverbial knife at my throat. She is just as cruel as I and just as jealous and greedy. We were a perfect fit, Garrett, two bloodthirsty pieces of a puzzle that slotted together with ease. 

Oh, I know that her hurt is well deserved. All those years we spent together and this is how I repay her, running off with a younger man no less! That is how she sees it and from the outside looking in, that is exactly what it looks like.” Pausing again Aro let out a long laugh shaking his head as he recalled his own words moments ago. 

It did seem ridiculous when he put it like that. Garrett was the younger man moving in on her husband and then they had left Italy together fully in love and unconcerned with anyone else. 

“She told me she wanted to cut your thread or rewrite your fate so that I would remember you but you’d not recall a single detail of me. I admit, I should have scoffed at her but the thought that she could do such a thing was never truly out of the realm of possibility. That horrified me to the point the petrification returned.” It likely hurt his pride to admit aloud that he had been afraid of losing Garrett to his face, but the nomad failed at biting back a smile. 

How endearing this man could be.

“Sulpicia, of course, was disgusted by my response to her threats and made it clear rather verbally.” When Aro looked up at him he could see that the bark like texture of his skin was almost gone completely. 

Breathing a sigh of relief Garrett sat back and pulled Aro with him so they were nestled against the soft cushions of the sofa together. He just needed a moment of quiet with the man he loved at his side before they jumped right back into the action and questions. 

“Why did you come here?” The quiet lasted only a few moments before Aro asked his question, it must have been on his mind from the second Garrett had appeared at his door because the words rushed out hurriedly. 

“You mean, why did I come to these specific rooms?” His voice sounded raspy with tiredness to his own ears, emotionally this had taken its toll on his energy but as a vampire he didn’t need to sleep… shouldn’t need to sleep and yet he would have happily crawled into bed and closed his eyes for a few hours. 

“Marcus came to the apartment,” Aro stiffened when he heard that and a low angry huff escaped the elder vampire’s lips. “Yeah, yeah, I know. I have to admit I am pissed about it too.” Garrett was pleased that his mate didn’t like the intrusion of the Volturi in the space too. It was their space, no one else was invited… well, aside from Kate. 

“Anyway,” He continued, his arm slung over Aro’s shoulder tightened and drew the man in closer, “He told us you had vanished with Sulpicia and that I should really be here looking for you. As if I would have any idea where you’d have gone if your guys couldn’t even find you.” 

“I do not recall leaving the coven house for even a second, however, with everything that has happened recently I am unsure if I can trust my memory at the moment.” A light amusement was in his tone of voice but something hid under the surface and Garrett knew deep down it was fear. 

Either Aro truly could not recall leaving the coven house or Marcus was lying… 

Neither bode well for working out just what Sulpicia was planning to do and where. 


	31. Chapter 31

##  Chapter Thirty One

_ When they kill the lights _

_ You'll remain my conductor _

_ And if they didn't drain your life _

_ I'll become your conductor _

  
  
  


Their time alone was interrupted by Kate nearly falling through the door with a look of great concern etched into her features. Garrett realised he had been gone for quite some time and had not resurfaced with any news on Aro. 

Kate was the recovery team sent to find him or whatever remained of him- because he could have been mauled to death by bears down in the basement of the coven house. Instead, she found him holed up with Aro resting in his arms as he had been for at least an hour now. 

She looked unimpressed but did not chide him for leaving her in the dark. For that he was thankful, he really didn’t want to admit that he’d been sat watching the petrified skin on Aro’s throat slowly recede into nothing. 

To say it had calmed him was an understatement, having Aro physically in his arms again was what made everything feel right. 

“You know this is great and all, you two being reunited. I’m just going to tell you that I don’t appreciate being left in the foyer of a coven house full of vampires that genuinely have a disgust for anyone not part of their family. I can forgive you, Garrett, if we can talk about my coven idea with Aro once this has all settled down.” Her cheeky smile didn’t work on him this time, it wasn’t that he didn’t want to talk to Aro about it, but now wasn't the time to be mentioning such a thing. 

They had, and he loathed the cliche but it worked, bigger fish to fry. 

The fish being Sulpicia and to fry her meant find her wherever the Hell she was. If she had access to the threads they’d need to speak to Bianca and worryingly she was missing in action too.

“We’ll  get to that when we have time, Kate. This isn’t really the time for it.” It hadn’t meant to come out so harsh but she seemed to take it on the chin and only nodded in response before she moved off to look around the previous room. 

It wasn’t long before she spoke again as she waded through the broken furniture.

“So, Aro, what happened here?” Her tone polite, she would walk on eggshells until she could gauge his temperament. She poked her head through the door and her questioning gaze fell to Aro who moved to sit up straight. 

He rubbed his face, eyes closed, before he spoke. Either the memory was unclear or it was something uncomfortable he did not wish to speak of. Whatever it was Kate had intended to get an answer as she had now reentered the room and stood before the elder vampire. 

“Just like myself, Sulpicia has an awful temper. When I refused her affections several times she followed me down here and proceeded to destroy the room. There was nothing of real value in there but it was still unpleasant to witness.” 

“Why didn’t you stop her?” Blunt but Aro didn’t seem to think Kate’s question inappropriate because he just gave an elegant shrug and looked up at her with a light questioning frown. 

“Would you? Had you been in my position and broken her heart would you stop her from venting?” Garrett twisted in his seat beside Aro uncomfortably which prompted the older man to lean back and place a hand on Garrett’s knee. 

“If she was breaking my stuff!” 

“Then you don’t understand the situation at all. Have you ever been in love?” It was then that Kate and Garrett shared an awkward glance before Kate shook her head in a timid fashion. “I’m sorry, Kate. Perhaps I am harsh because I am hurt by all of this, her threats, her behaviour… I have dragged a once elegant woman down to my own awful level. I have shattered her confidence and had her second guess her worth.”

They all fall silent each one feeling the guilt acutely. Garrett and Aro had been very much aware of what they had done to her and had tried to their best to respect her as best they could. 

But what they had done was so utterly disgraceful. Even though the decision was out of their hands they took responsibility. Not that it mattered to Sulpicia… but why would it? 

“I want to speak to Bianca- uh, what time is it?” Wildly, between the three of them not one of them owned a watch or a phone. There were no clocks on the walls of the coven house and so with much trepidation they all headed back up the stairs to the main floor- they would have to use the sky to gauge the time. 

“This is ridiculous. How can none of us have a watch?” Kate’s exasperated tone pulled a smile from Garrett when she spoke. Aro ignored her then after a moment mumbled that time was an illusion and was not truly real. 

“Tell that to a mortal that has been at work all day or night.” Kate quipped her smile was wiped from her face as they approached the foyer to find Bianca desperately trying to smooth out the wrinkles off her white dress which was covered in scuff marks. 

Garrett was the first to notice the bruises as he rushed to her side and forced her to sit down. 

When Bianca realised who was knelt at her side she burst into tears and awkwardly threw her arms around Garrett pulling him into a hug her forehead rested on his shoulder as tears streamed down her face and dropped onto the leg of his jeans. 

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t want to help her!” Aro started forward but stalled a moment glancing around the foyer- he did not deem it safe enough to talk out in the open because when Garrett looked over to him he gestured for him to bring Bianca to him and they would talk elsewhere. 

“Come on, let’s get you away from this desk and somewhere private.” Garrett had no idea where Bianca’s room was and he didn’t feel right asking her and he looked helplessly to Aro who leaned and whispered something to Kate, who shot off in an instant without even a second glance back. 

She returned a moment later with a bag but said nothing, she only stood by Aro’s side waiting for Garrett to help Bianca to her feet. 

“Where are we taking her?” It worried Garrett that Aro felt uncomfortable out in the open in his own coven. Was there someone he was hoping to avoid other than his wife? What had changed in the short time he had left with him to travel to America?

“Back downstairs,” 

Kate didn’t move as turned to head down the hallway in the direction that led to the stairs, when he noticed that none of them had moved he turned quickly and his shoulders slumped as he sighed. 

“You do not wish to remain here, do you?” Garrett didn’t have to answer but still he did and offered up his reasonings also, even if it was not necessary to soothe Aro he still tried. 

“It is probably best to leave here, even if we just head into the city and stay there for the day. Won’t it be safer for Bianca if Sulpicia cannot have free access to her. We don’t know what happened and, frankly, I don’t need to know… we’re intelligent people it is apparent on her damned skin what your wife did to her.” Even if Sulpicia had not physically laid her hands on his friend, Bianca was still hurt and it was done at Sulpicia’s behest. No one was free of their guilt in this and everyone had something they had to be held accountable for. 

Rage boiled inside Garrett, so much so that he was shaking as he helped Bianca to her feet. She seemed able to walk without his aid but remained close to his side eyes downcast as they walked out of the front door and into a brightly lit square. 

With a muttered curse under his breath he remained in the shadow of the building not wishing to be a sparkling beacon for all those wandering out in the midday sun. 

Both Kate and Aro were shielded by hoods, Kate with the jacket Garrett had gifted her for the rain and Aro with his obnoxious Volturi issue cloak. 

Before anyone could move or suggest anything Bianca turned and bolted inside returning minutes later with a large black umbrella. 

"I hope this works." She said with a small smile as Garrett took it from her and held it over his head. 

"Me too." He shot a glare at Aro who was trying in vain to withhold from laughing but to no avail. The elder vampire cackled with glee only quieting down when Kate elbowed him and told him he looked the most ridiculous in a cloak in broad daylight. 

When Garrett stepped out into the sun he turned almost immediately to Bianca for her approval, she gave him a thumbs up followed up with a weak smile. 

And so, the odd bunch walked across the square together safe in the knowledge that no member of the coven would bother them on such a bright sunny day. 

Kate and Aro headed up the group and bickered between themselves on where they should stay. Garrett held out his arm for Bianca to link him which she did almost shyly. It was probably best to let Kate and Aro argue without his input he didn't want to take sides on this one and be seen as a traitor to either of them. 

Smiling down at Bianca, Garrett pulled her into his side hoping his confidence would rub off on her and he'd see the bright spark she had been before he had left her the last time. 

Whatever had happened had dampened Bianca's spirit into a small and fragile flame that sputtered in a light breeze. 

"-of  _ course  _ you'd pick somewhere like that. The most conspicuous place of all. Just shut up for once in your life."

"Oh, my apologies, you seem to have forgotten who you're speaking to and  _ where  _ you are. We're staying at the place I suggested."

"You're out of your mind- Garrett! Tell Aro his idea is stupid." Kate turned fully to Garrett whining all the while Aro spluttered beside her looking the most offended he'd ever been since Garrett had met him.

"Excuse me?!" 

Someone giggled at his side and Garrett noticed Bianca was smiling at the two in front of them. Her demeanor brightening, though, she still remained close to him. 

"I don't think I've ever seen you so lively before, Aro." Bianca was right Aro and Kate were so loud that even if they had been serious about sneaking away from the coven house unheard it was unlikely with the noise they were making. 

This whole scene felt surreal and yet it felt so right. The two of them bickering, Garrett watching on in amusement refusing to be drawn into their disagreement.

Is this what life would be like if they did agree to start their own coven? In the time he'd spent with Aro the man had changed. No, not changed per se but he had opened up and shrugged off the eyes of the coven that seemed to weigh him down with their expectations. 

Kate whined again and Garrett rolled his eyes. Never before had he felt like the serious and responsible one of a group. Not that he'd ever had the chance to before this- he had always been one to shy away from settling with any amount of people. 

But these were his people he could feel it. 

The thought of losing the chance to have these people as his family had the feeling inside him falter. Sulpicia was doing all she could within her power to put a stop to this happiness before it had time to fully manifest into something akin to familial love.

Having Aro at his side, with Kate and even Bianca if she wanted to be with them, it was something he wanted to strive to keep, to have them close and happy. If they were with him he knew he could experience true joy and in that moment, he truly understood why Carlisle had done what he did. 

The good doctor was not a collector of people and it took Garrett up until now to realise that. His judgement had been clouded by a superiority complex he didn’t realise he had. There had always been too many pros to being alone and travelling without another at his side. 

Seeing Bianca reach out for Kate’s hand to comfort her while Aro teased her about, somehow, winning their argument about the hotel, Garrett found it hard to remember just what those pros were now. 

In the end, Garrett agreed with Aro on the hotel and they ushered themselves into plush family room. Bianca was coaxed into a seat and Kate poured her a glass of water while Aro shrugged off his cloak and Garrett set his umbrella down by the door. 

How odd they had all looked striding into the hotel lobby demanding a room all the while three out of four stood faces obscured in shadow with one person looking decidedly roughed up her dress torn in places. The hotel clerk, to their credit, didn’t miss a beat and handed them a key card with instructions on how to get to their room. 

With no luggage to speak of, save for the bag Kate had slung over her shoulder, there was no need for a bellhop to assist them and they were able to move quickly from the reception in the lobby to an elevator. 

Once everything had settled down and Garrett had reprimanded Aro and Kate for bickering in the elevator over the hotel, he finally had time to turn his attention to Bianca who sat sipping her water. While still shaken she looked infinitely more comfortable with the people that surrounded her than she had back in the coven house. 

“Are you ready to tell us what happened?” Garrett sat at Bianca’s side and watched as she set her glass down on the coffee table in front of her, her hands trembling as she did so. Garrett glanced to Kate and Aro who stood across from them behind the sofa across from them. 

Two sets of eyes looked back with worry clear within them, even in such a situation Garrett felt a strange pang of adoration for both individuals. They were doing this with him and for him and their worry for Bianca was so natural that it they already felt like a family. 


	32. Chapter 32

##  Chapter Thirty Two

_ Oh I- _

_ Want you to sing to me softly _

_ 'Cause then I'm outrunning the dark _

_ That's all that love ever taught me _

  
  


It took some time for Bianca to find the right words to start and when she began her tears did too. They slid down her face leaving dark trails over her skin but she made no move to stop them. 

Kate was at her side dabbing the tears away with a handkerchief, softly telling her that no matter what happened it was not her fault and they would not hold her accountable for any of this. 

“Take your time, you don’t have to rush. You’re safe here with us now.” Kate comforted as she now moved to sit by Bianca’s other side, the feeling of being flanked by two vampires seemed to set his friend at ease and Garret watched as Bianca visibly relaxed between them. 

Aro remained stood behind the other sofa across from them, unmoving and with his arms crossed as he watched the scene with an unreadable expression. Had they not been tethered to one another it would have appeared as though Aro was displeased and Garret would have asked him what was wrong. 

However, he had no need to, he could feel Aro’s guilt roiling inside him as though it were his own. It felt thick and heavy with the tang of bitterness spiking through often leaving Garrett with an acidic taste on his tongue. 

It took most of him not to get up and reach out to the elder vampire, but he was sure Aro would not appreciate having his innermost feelings broadcast to the others in the room. So instead, he offered a soft look hoping that the man could feel the comfort in the gaze and within himself as Garrett filled his mind with calming thoughts that he urged toward his mate. 

Aro’s shoulders relaxed almost imperceptibly but Garrett had seen it and so he returned his focus to Bianca who had calmed herself enough to speak, though tears still streamed down her face. 

“Sulpicia, she came to me the same day the tower toppled over onto us. She had known I was with you and came out unharmed. You had spoken with her, told her about the Fate threads and I think she realised that I had something to do with that.” The trembling in her voice became too much and she reached out for the glass of water on the table almost knocking it over in the process. 

Steeling herself for a moment Bianca closed her eyes and took a deep breath before taking the glass and bringing it to her lips. She was trying to harden herself to this and while it was admirable she didn’t have to. 

“She asked me if I was one of the fates but I knew she already knew I was. When I told her that, yes, I was one of the three sisters she asked for my help. Because Garrett had spoken to me about it before I already had an inkling of what she wanted. I refused her and she said she understood and left me.” Again, she paused and looked up to Garrett, he nodded to confirm he was following the story- even if it was hard for him to recall the dates and times any of the events that happened over the last few weeks. 

Hell, he wasn’t even sure if this had been over the span of weeks or just days! Time truly meant nothing when you were immortal. It was a series of sunrises and sunsets and if he was lucky enough to catch either of those it still didn’t help him determine the date… 

“You said she left you after that, she did not mention it to you again?” Finally, Aro spoke and moved around the sofa and took a seat across from the other three. He truly looked troubled, perhaps he too was having difficulty placing these events in some kind of order. 

“Not until you and Garrett left for the US. She had left for Greece before that but came back empty handed- which would only be natural because she wasn’t looking in the right places. When she came to me again and asked to be taken to my sisters I said no again, because I knew that you and Garrett wanted to be together. 

The first time she had made it sound as though she was helping you, and later I found out that she might have been,” Her attention was on Garrett now, this was no surprise to Aro as he had already seen all the interactions he’d had with Sulpicia via his memories. Still, it felt like a betrayal now. 

“We had an agreement, I guess. Aro and I were unhappy and wanted to explore avenues on how to sever the bond. Somewhere along the line we changed our minds and I assumed she knew that.” They were at fault for letting Sulpicia find this out on her own, what with Aro being beside himself with worry when the bell tower crumbled on top of him. She would have been under no illusions after that but still… 

“Maybe this is just me sounding like an idiot but why can’t she just accept Aro is with someone else and move on?” Kate asks, her words drew a laugh from Bianca and even Aro manage a small amused smile- it was a valid point but nothing was that straight forward. 

“She loves him, Kate. She gave him her time, her loyalty and her respect for a long time. I suppose in a way she feels slighted by the whole thing. Wouldn’t you?” Garrett’s question caught her off guard but she could only shrug at a loss for words.

Their situation hadn’t been all that different aside on a smaller scale and she had taken it just fine as far as he knew, she didn’t seem to be planning to try and win him back at all. 

“With us, I guess I was hurt but we hadn’t really even gotten together, we weren’t in a relationship. And then I saw the way you were when you looked at Aro when he came to collect you outside the city. 

God, I am going to regret saying this, but you two are really cute.” Kate grimace as soon as she said this and stuck out her tongue at Aro who rolled his eyes in response. 

As nice as it was, Garrett wasn’t all too sure describing himself and Aro as cute was quite right. It felt right with him and it seemed that every day they became closer and more open with one another. 

No longer was he afraid to say what he wanted to Aro, but it wasn’t the angry rantings he had spouted when they had first met. He was no longer worried about bearing his true self to him and being just Garrett. No front and no costume. 

“What happened after you told her no for a second time?” Aro dragged the conversation back on track, though, now his voice was softer than before. 

“You and Garrett had been gone a few hours by this time, and there was no one I could turn to for help. So, when I said no…” Her whole demeanour changed, whatever strength she had regained earlier dissipated and she seemed to wilt like a flower her shoulders drooping. “She returned with Jane and another of the guards, I can’t remember who. He dragged me from my seat and threw me to the floor and Jane did that thing… I’ve never felt pain like it and it wouldn’t stop… she- she... Wouldn’t stop and when she tried Sulpicia had her continue. Every time I tried to get up, I was pushed back down to the ground.” Bianca seemed exhausted and so Kate wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her to one of the bedrooms to rest. They would have to ask the remainder of their questions later. It wasn’t fair to have her continue on in such a state. 

For a moment Garrett and Aro could only look at one another. He couldn’t tell who had started silently seething first, the rage that was building up was likely a combination of both of them but honestly Garrett didn’t care who was angrier. 

“I’m sorry, Garrett.” Aro’s words came out a hoarse whisper which startled Garrett back into some semblance of calm. The rage dissipated somewhat to the point he could feel Aro’s guilt washing over him full force and the acidic feeling on his tongue returned. 

“How could you have known she would be like this?” Garrett forced himself to his feet and crossed the small space to the other sofa and seated himself by Aro slinging his arm around the elder vampire’s shoulders pulling him into his side. “You can’t predict people’s behaviour not really, you can try and guess how they might react in such situations but ultimately we will never know how the human mind works.” It offered very little comfort to Aro but he only knew that because the guilt still swirled in his chest- how odd this second hand emotion felt in his inside him.

Garrett understood how his emotions worked and how they felt when he experienced them so when he felt Aro’s guilt he knew it was strong though muted because he wasn’t really experiencing it. He felt it enough to know how bad the man actually felt, but it wasn’t truly physically affecting him. 

“Damn it! I have had more of a conscience these past few weeks than I have had in 4000 years. I feel so terrible about all of this and I genuinely would like it to stop but to do that we have to work out how to fix things. 

We still know so little about what is going on with Sulpicia. We have the barebones of a story she wants to end you Garrett, does that scare you?” It sounded like it scared him enough so that he has raised his voice ever so slightly. 

“Hey, don’t worry about it. So far she hasn’t done anything.” There hadn’t been so much as a quiver in the ether. Garrett took this as a good sign for now, he had to be the optimistic one right now it seemed. 

His mate sat and fretted silently for a moment before suddenly turning and jabbing Garrett in the chest with a long pale finger, he did this several times before finding the words to exclaim his displeasure. 

“Don’t worry about it he says! She hasn’t done anything yet- of course not, Garrett you’re an idiot. The second she does something you won’t know because you’ll be dead!” They were shushed rather violently from across the room. Kate had emerged from Bianca’s room to shut them up before she slid back through the door barely opening it as she did so. 

“All I am saying is that you should at least try and show some sort of self preservation!” Aro hissed through his teeth, clearly he had taken the reprimand from Kate seriously and Garrett had to bite back a smile. 

The perfect noisy albeit dysfunctional family… his little coven. 

“Are you… are you laughing at me?” Oh the dark look that flashed over Aro’s face was like the threat of a thunderstorm edging over a perfect blue sky. Oddly beautiful and yet somewhat intimidating. 

A shudder was suppressed though Garrett still felt the tingling sensation skitter down his spine and before any sort of venom could be spat from his mate he pulled Aro to him and kissed him. 

There was a struggle and some sputtered profanities from Aro, while surprising coming from such a refined creature was very much welcomed. Ruffling perfect feathers was something Garrett found he was quite talented at. The protests died down and Aro relaxed into the kiss. 

Oh, it was unfair to quieten the man down with a kiss but it worked so well and when they parted he had quite forgotten what had angered him so, and instead he leaned back into the soft cushions of the sofa and worried his lip between his teeth his mind again on his wife. 

“I think, and you might not want to hear this, no matter if you spoke to her at the beginning or not that Sulpicia would still react the same way.” 

“Gods, you’re right. How are you the voice of logic and wisdom in these situations but when we first met you blindly stumbled in cursing and throwing punches at my guard?!” That was not how it happened but he understood what Aro had meant but instead of a real answer he just gave a very casual shrug. 

“Dunno,” 

“Still as eloquent, I see.” Their conversation ended there when Kate slipped out of Bianca’s room and padded back towards the seating area. The tense look she had held for the majority of the day had worn off now and her movements seemed fluid again as she draped herself across the free sofa. 

“Done with your tiff?” Kate feigned a yawn as she asked this. 

“Yeah,” Garrett began only to be cut off by a firm and resounding ‘no’ from his mate. 

Kate looked between the two of them before laughing quietly into her hand. 

“Oh, great!” 


	33. Chapter 33

##  Chapter Thirty Three

_ Everything was burning bright _

_ Everyone was frightened _

_ You said, stay strong _

_ Everybody knowing that what _

_ We'd invited still remains when we're gone _

“Kate, sweet dear Katie-”

“Nope, not doing it.” 

“How can you just let her-” 

“Shut up, hand man.” 

The exchange was entertaining but it wasn’t cards and that was what they were supposed to be playing to pass the time while Bianca slept. Garrett glanced at his hand again and sighed as Aro and Kate continued to bicker about waking the fate from her rest. 

For the most part, Garrett had tried to remain merely a spectator to the verbal gymnastics the other two bandied about but eventually he had to step in and shush them and by shush them he meant set down his winning hand. 

Three times he had bested them and three times they had groaned in unison at the sight of the flawless set of cards on the table before Garrett.

“So, what does the winner get?” He ensured his words were dripping with sweetness- saccharine- it was the only way he could make them feel awful about the bickering without yelling which got him nowhere and fast. 

Kate grimaced as she turned her focus to Aro. Aro was giving Garrett a cool look trying to remain the bigger person in this situation. As unaffected as he liked to appear he knew Aro was seething. 

“Go on, hug.” Ok, he had to admit he was definitely unable to hide the, now, unrestrained glee in his voice. If this was the power of being a coven leader he was definitely in for the long haul- though he wasn’t sure the suggestion would go down well with his mate right about now. 

There was a beat of silence before the two moved to embrace grumbling as they did so. It wouldn't stop their bickering but Garrett liked to annoy them anyway he could as pay back. 

"Heartwarming, truly." He grinned and swept up all the cards from the table and shuffled the deck a couple of times before handing out cards again. 

"I didn't think you could be so wicked." Aro griped as he dragged his cards towards him and perused the hand given him. His face fell and he shoved the cards face down without another word. 

"Hmm, yeah, awful aren't I. Making you form bonds and relationships with people you can trust. Truly truly wicked of me. Not like you and your killing machine family at the top of murder hill in your ivory tower." Kate snorted aloud though quickly tried to disguise it as a cough which made absolutely no difference to Aro's reaction.

"Well… you.. oh, shut up." 

The door across the room opened and a sleep ruffled Bianca emerged wearing pyjamas and rubbing her eyes. 

“It sounds like fun out here.” The fate yawned as she shuffled toward them- Garrett felt great relief when he noticed she looked less worn, a little less frayed around the edges after her short sleep. 

Checking the time he realised the three of them had been playing cards for several hours without stopping. It had passed the time marvelously and allowed Aro and Kate to bond even if it did seem they behaved as siblings would. 

A seat was pulled up and Garrett dealt Bianca a hand while Kate explained the rules, they did not push her to continue recounting her story, not yet. The night was reserved for cards and friends. 

It was Bianca that broached the subject first, she’d lost the round they were currently playing and it was between Kate and Aro who won. Garrett sat out a round to mediate as two of the players were getting rather feisty and he knew at some points cards would fly- it was best he was ready even if would mean he would mediate through laughter. 

“She only stopped Jane from torturing me because I gave in. I told her I would take her to my sisters and just like that the pain stopped and she had pulled me off the ground and back onto my feet. 

Jane and the other Volturi guard were gone as though they had never been there in the first place!” Kate and Aro had set down their cards, the game forgotten as their attention was drawn to Bianca.

She seemed small as she spoke, small and so fragile hugging her body trying to take up as little space as possible. They had broken her spirit- Garrett longed to see her bright smile and hear her carefree laughter again she seemed so far from that person now. 

“I took her to my sister- they were surprised to see me but more curious about the strange pale woman I had brought with me,” She got to her feet agitation clear in her body language and expression, when next she spoke it was directly to Garrett, her clear blue eyes looking right into his.

“She hates you. Oh, I know I don’t need to tell you that but she so desperately hates you. When she approached my sisters she was shaking and when she spoke it was so dark- I was afraid of her more than I had ever been afraid of anything before. 

Her request was to meddle with the threads but she first requested to know how they worked, could they be manipulated and not just created and cut? I had no idea what she had planned…” Bianca pulled herself from the memory and scanned her audience for their reaction, her action prompted Garrett to do the same- his own reaction left him fearful because he felt nothing and he knew his face had drawn up blank at the admission from his friend. 

When he moved to see the other two he was surprised to see Kate focussing on Aro her brows drawn up in pained surprise as her hand slid across the table to touch Aro’s that lay flat against the surface. The elder vampire flinched but did not draw his hands away as Kate tried to offer comfort to him. 

Garrett knew he was blaming himself for this. Remorse did not look good on him but maybe it just seemed out of place on Aro. Vulnerability was doing a number on him and while, truthfully, they were both at fault for what happened to a degree, Garrett didn’t think Aro deserved to be punished mentally and so harshly by his wife. 

“They told her everything she wanted to know. How the threads were formed and changed- what different changes meant for the individual. They seemed eager to explain and when I begged them to stop they seemed confused. 

Sulpicia had been the first person that had managed to find them, the first to get to them in years, and while they likely knew she was going to bring harm to someone with their knowledge they were too impressed to turn her away!” How horrifying it must have been for her to watch as her own flesh and blood handed Sulpicia the gift of such knowledge. To let it fall into the hands of a person that had lost their handle on all rational thought and lived each hour with revenge running in their veins. 

It felt as though there was no point in trying to reason with her. Sulpicia likely would not stop until she had her way, until she had hurt someone else to ease her own pain. 

Had they driven her to it? 

When Bianca spoke again her voice was stronger and anger seeped into her words, she realised now that she had been betrayed by her own family for the sake of novelty! 

“She doesn’t want to kill you, not now. Her heart had been set on that but it soon changed when she heard about manipulating the strings, and well, her revenge is cruel and drawn out.” She rubbed her temples with one hand and paced a few steps before stopping again, there was a liveliness in her again just sharper and angrier. 

The woman didn’t stay down for long and when she got back on her feet she was something hungry and fierce. Garrett was secretly proud of her then again he also wondered if she had been hurt by someone in the past, was this just a vicious cycle for her or was this all new? 

“She wants you to forget me.” When Aro spoke everyone turned to look at him not expecting him to say anything. Guilt had seemingly gagged him for long enough and now he had something to say. 

“Her plan is not to unbind us from our bond but to have you forget me completely and leave me with the agony of having you leave my life without so much of a second thought.”  _ Agony?  _ Was it really that much pain he would experience from not being with him? 

Of course it was, Garret could feel his own misery intermingling with Aro’s and when their eyes met he tried to smile but panic was overriding everything and filled his chest with cold dread that clung to his lungs and crawled up his throat to his tongue leaving him rendered speechless. 

It was too much. 

Much too much. 

Garrett might have hit the ground running when Aro didn’t kill him on sight upon their first meeting but the pace hadn’t let up. This was not some leisurely jog through a damn park, no, it certainly was not instead he felt as though he had picked up the pace and was now running for his life. 

This stuff really didn’t let up for a second. 

But he wasn’t doing this on his own. He had to remember that people wanted to help him. At the end of all of this they wanted to Garrett alive and well and with Aro at his side. 

“We can’t let Sulpicia do this to you. There must be a way around this…” Kate wrung her hands together frustration coloured her voice when she spoke, she seemed eager to help but Garrett wasn’t sure if she wanted to make a plan or just try and wring Sulpicia’s neck with her bare hands. 

Bianca moved to sit beside Kate and it distracted her from what had likely turned to dark musings. 

“Why didn’t Sulpicia just go to the room of threads and cut mine when she had the chance?” Aro and Bianca had the same thoughtful and yet horrified expression on their faces as Garrett brought this up, Kate was confused but was soon brought up to speed. 

“She could have ended me days ago. So why didn’t she just ask you to show her that room?” 

“I swear to- Garrett you are a yankee doodle dumb ass. Don’t you remember what happened the last time someone tried to cut a thread in that room?” Aro was now resting his chin in his upturned palm elbow propped up on the tabletop while he grinned over at Garrett awaiting his answer. 

‘Yes, Garrett, what did happen?” 

They weren’t his coven they were mean people being mean and reminding him of how much of an unaware idiot he was at times. Rude and unappreciative of him and his pioneering ways of working out what was dangerous and wasn’t by just touching stuff. 

Garrett huffed but relented almost immediately. 

“So those threads are what? Fakes? Monuments to life or replicas of the real thing?” 

“Imagine if Sulpicia was as stupid as you?” Aro drawled but the affectionate smile spread over his lips was enough to rub out the sting those words should have had. 

Someone choked back a laugh and Garrett could tell without looking it was Kate, while she and Aro argued like children she also realised that he was the smarter one in the relationship and found she was comforted by the thought that Garrett wasn’t blindly walking down a path because the guiding light was at his side. 

“Anyway, to answer your question, no they are not fakes. They’re real but you can’t cut them because you don’t have that power and you don’t get to make that decision. I weave them my sisters do the other stuff like cutting and stretching and divining…” It made sense, why would Bianca have the power to create and destroy threads, it was a lot of power for one person but spread over three, it seemed right. 

“Bianca, a question, if I may?” Aro interjects before Garrett can speak again, when Bianca nods Aro gives quiet thanks to her, “This room, it moves or has the ability to appear in more than one location at the same time, yes?” 

“Yes, that’s right, why?” 

“Would it not be as simple as entering the room at the same time as Sulpicia.” 

“Ah, no. And I would love to explain why but right now if I don’t eat I will pass out.” The vampires in the room jumped to their feet immediately arguing on where they should order food from until Kate turned and asked Bianca what she wanted to eat. 

“Pizza. I want pizza.”


	34. Chapter 34

##  Chapter Thirty Four

_ I wanna be king in your story _

_ I wanna know who you are _

_ I want your heart to beat for me _

  
  


Aro wrinkled his nose at the smell of the pizza but didn’t say anything under pain of death, or at least the threat of death from Kate. She was Bianca’s unofficial bodyguard and all round protector, apparently. 

Garrett watched as his mate turned his nose up at the food, his hands were distracted by shuffling the deck of cards over and over again. Something made the man nervous and Garrett wanted to know but in all honesty he knew it would only be related to Sulpicia. 

It was quiet for a spell as everyone took their own time to process all Bianca had already told them. This effected Kate the least and yet she looked the most troubled but her eyes kept drifting to him and eventually Garrett rose a brow with a silent ‘ _ what? _ ’.

Shaking her head Kate remained silent but again her focus slowly returned to Garrett and he let out a frustrated huff when once again he gestured for her to speak and she still refused. Something played on her mind and she wanted to tell him, clearly, but he wondered if they were in the wrong company for what she wanted to confront him about? 

It wasn’t long before Bianca retired to her room again to sleep, Kate following her to ensure she was safe. Aro wasted no time disposing of the pizza left in the box, the smell of the grease and the cheese was too off putting for him to ignore any longer. 

He stood with his back to Garrett wiping pizza grease off his hand grumbling unhappily under his breath about humans needing to eat food and the ‘inconvenience’ of it. 

“After all of this has blown over, do you think you’ll stay here with the coven?” Garrett threw his question out as casually as he could, he figured Kate had wanted to remind him of the coven idea and so he took his chance while it was just he and Aro in the living area. 

“I was thinking about that today…” He sounded sad as his sentence trailed off and Garrett regretted raising the subject- perhaps it wasn’t the time to question Aro on the rest of his life?

Hardly seemed fair for Aro to lose so much all because of him.

“I am questioning my role as leader of the Volturi,” It was painfully obvious that it took a lot for Aro to admit this and so when he turned to face Garrett he schooled his face into something he hoped was neutral and he nodded for Aro to continue. “I’m not the man I was before I met you, Garrett. I don’t think I can ever be him again. He was angry and drunk on power for four thousand years. I was manic and entitled, I have a long way to go until I am no longer like that but I don’t feel like those are the best way to describe myself now.” Aro struggled with the words tripping from his tongue and for a moment he looked truly perplexed by his difficulty in explaining just what he meant. 

It was incredibly endearing to see him like this and Garrett committed the look of pure confusion to memory, never had Aro looked as soft as he did in that moment. 

Oh, he was truly in love. 

“You question your ability to lead because you’ve started down the road of becoming a better man?” Of course, that wasn’t what Aro meant at all. And he knew as much when the elder vampire arched a brow at him as if to say ‘ _ Really, that is what you got from that? _ ’ and Garrett let out a laugh dispelling some of the tension that had gathered between them. 

When Kate has first asked him to start a coven with her, and for him to ask Aro to join too, he genuinely believed it was a ridiculous idea and would never come to fruition. Now, with every passing day, another problem was added to his and Aro’s shoulders with no true help from the coven Aro had lead for thousands of years. 

It did not seem unreasonable to ask his mate to break away from the Volturi. 

“History predicts that eventually even the greatest leaders fall. I shall not pretend that I am well loved or fully respected- I am feared and it keeps the majority in line. Now, however, I have come to realise that perhaps I was never truly meant to be a leader. 

It is easy enough to convince people to follow you and when your raise them up with power as you steadily gain influence they ‘respect’ you. As long as you are giving something be it power, money even attention you will have followers. 

I think, what I mean to say is… well, I-” Aro stalled for a moment and he gave a disgusted look absolutely directed at himself and his inner thoughts. “This is embarrassing, really, Garrett can’t you work out what I am trying to tell you?!” The elder vampire let out an exasperated sigh and gestured to Garrett to respond. 

“No idea what you’re trying to tell me here. Please elaborate.” Garrett grinned when his response was met with mumbled Italian curses sent in his general direction and Aro threw up his hands. 

“You-! You are a thorn in my side. A splinter under my skin irritating me and you know damn well you’re doing it. Please, give me the gift of humility and just accept that I am telling you something very important!” 

How was this man feared when he just threw childlike tantrums half the time. Was he feared or did they just realise that giving him what he wanted was easier than having Aro screaming at them? 

This man was a spoiled brat, Garrett had known this from the beginning. 

It was time to stretch his discipline muscles it seemed. 

“I’m not going to help you. Use your words and tell me what it is you want.” Keeping his voice firm and even was difficult, and he watched Aro’s expression journey through several emotions before settling on a resigned sort of acceptance.

“I want a family, Garrett.” 

Oh, that was not what he had expected to hear. Genuinely. Garrett had assumed he’d want to start a new coven but to word it so personally and to admit so readily that it was family he wanted- it threw him off completely. 

“A family? You know we can’t have kids, right?” He felt cruel making a joke like that. Using humour to detract from the moment of vulnerability Aro was displaying because he had demanded it from him. 

“Please, don’t mock me.” 

“I’m sorry- I didn’t know what to say you caught me off guard. But, won’t there be repercussions in leaving the Volturi?” That was what he was most scared of because even if he left the Volturi they weren’t safe from Sulpicia’s wrath.

They never would be not unless by some miracle she dropped off the face of the planet indefinitely. Killing her was absolutely not an option and he didn’t care who suggested it- she was just hurting, right?

She was taking it a little too far, though. Most people just keyed their exes car or slept with their best friend or something. Sulpicia wanted to erase his memory and have Aro watch and if she couldn’t do that she just wanted to outright murder him instead.

Maybe they needed to take affirmative action and soon because as much as he was pretending everything was ok inside he felt terrible, and he knew Aro would be feeling it too. 

“Of course, I cannot just walk away from them without there being an issue. They will wish to know why I am leaving and try to convince me to stay or they will ask for a successor to be chosen. But I know that isn’t what you meant. 

I will lose so much turning my back on them and as soon as Volturi enemies get wind that I am no longer part of the coven they will come for me to enact revenge for all the hurt I have caused over the years. 

That is unavoidable.” The downside of ruling over a powerhouse coven like the Volturi was that leaving usually only happened if you died as a member. Though, Carlisle had walked away from the coven unscathed but that was because he was close to Aro- would the others be as reasonable? 

Caius seemed like he might be the only problem. Garrett really didn’t know him well enough to truly make a call on his personality but he was damn sure Marcus wouldn’t care at all. That man wanted death with the same desperation of a man dying of thirst in the desert. 

“How do we put this in motion?” Garrett asks quietly, he reaches out his hand to Aro but he is too far from him. Garrett’s fingers stretch out as far as they can go as though it would close the distance. It doesn’t. 

“You would help?” Aro’s surprise confuses him. 

“Why wouldn’t I?” When Aro approaches him he is quick to take the man’s hand. “You are not doing this alone. We’re in this together because this includes both of us.” With a gentle tug he pulls Aro into motion and toward him so the elder vampire is standing before him. 

“You want to help because you think it will be easy, I’m sure, and you have ideas for what comes after?” He sounded wildly suspicious and, if not, a little bit tired as though the subject sapped his energy from him with ease. 

Feeling affronted that Aro thought little of him with such a situation, Garrett, loosed his hand from Aro’s and sat back on the sofa angling his face so his gaze met with his mate’s. 

“I’ve seen war Aro, I’ve seen bloodshed over something as senseless land that belonged to neither side. You think I can’t handle this?” While his tone might have been even his face betrayed him with his expression of hurt, it moved Aro to sit by him and place a pale hand on his thigh. 

“I’m sorry, Garrett. This is delicate and even I am unsure how to go about this. It is terrifying to think that if I do walk away from this that I could be free… free of obligation.” His words were wistful and his eyes seemed to focus on something so far off in the distance that it was likely another plain. 

When Aro came back to the fore he said nothing but he squeezed Garrett’s thigh. 

“This is some tense atmosphere out here.” Kate mumbled as she slid onto the sofa across from Aro and Garrett. Blunt but it wasn’t like she was wrong and pointing out often mean the feeling would be alleviated- just not this time. She made no attempt to pretend she had not heard their conversation and made it known to Garrett with a sorrowful and apologetic glance in his direction. 

_ No words, of course. Don’t blame her after hearing our awkward conversation.  _ Garrett thought miserably, but still he couldn’t find it in him to be mad at Aro. It was just very disappointing that Aro seemed to think he could not be trusted to help or that he did not understand the delicacy of the matter. 

“I’m going to go out for a bit. Do either of you want to come with me?” Garrett didn’t blame Kate for wanting to vacate the premises what with the tense atmosphere that hung in the air like a fog that seemed to obscure rational thought. 

When neither he nor Aro answered Kate just shrugged and left without another word. With her presence to clear the air Garrett became restless with the silence and eventually he turned to Aro to speak. 

“She wants to start a coven with me. Kate that is… She came to our house in New Orleans after you had left and asked me if we’d consider it.” It was better than nothing and going out on a limb to mention it could have been costly but the soft look Aro gifted him was worth it.

“Our house?” Aro whispered and the smallest of smiles graced his features for a moment. “You make it sound so easy, you know. Starting a coven and living in peace with a select few- perhaps it is but I’ve never experienced such a thing.” It didn’t take a genius to work out that Aro was considering it but with his pessimistic outlook it would take some convincing. 

“It’s something for us to work toward. Imagine, The four of us, Bianca has to come with us, living in New Orleans just minding our own damn business. We’d be free to roam wherever we liked whatever country that took your fancy. Being under the radar has its advantages.” This was very image of a family Aro had mentioned earlier and damn it, Garrett would try his hardest for that dream to take off and come to fruition. 

You can’t miss what you never hard but you can absolutely yearn for an idea harder than you’ve ever wanted something in your life. 

Because of Aro the idea of a family didn’t seem all that bad. 

“If we make it out of the end of this.” Aro pointed out, it was a grim realisation that he or Garrett might not survive this. It was a worst case scenario and yet it seemed so unbelievably ridiculous that either of them would die but it was something they truly had to take into account. 

Nodding Garrett placed his hand over Aro’s that still rested on his thigh and gave it a comforting squeeze. If they got through this life would be a true breeze afterwards. It would be all blue sky thinking and blue sky living. 

Rain clouds couldn’t exist in a world where they had survived fate and come out the other end unscathed and stronger than ever. 


	35. Chapter 35

##  Chapter Thirty Five

_ So we'll hide away and never tell _

_ You decide if darkness knows you well _

_ That lesson of love, all that it was _

_ I need you to see _

A plan was devised- or rather, Aro told Garrett he was going to the coven house to speak to Caius and Marcus and he was to remain at the hotel with Bianca. 

Now, this prompted an argument that Kate ended up mediating, and by mediating she clamped one hand over Aro’s mouth and one over Garrett’s and told them to shut up over and over again until they stopped trying to yell through her hands. 

Once the flaring tempers had simmered down to a boil and not volcanic eruptions, Kate moved her hands and offered them both the floor with strict instructions that each man had time to explain why he was upset and angry and they were  _ not _ allowed to interrupt one another. 

For a split second the room was silent as both men hesitated unsure who would go first. 

“Aro, you go first. Don’t glare at me Garrett it’s alphabetical deal with it.” 

“That means he will always go first!” Garrett whined, further words were swallowed when Kate narrowed her eyes at him and he just tossed a hand toward Aro as if to say ‘ _ Get on with then!’ _ . 

“I want you to know that had I asked you to accompany me, I trust you would behave, I trust you so implicitly to remain neutral while I spoke with my brothers. But I need you here with Kate to protect Bianca. 

There is no trust in the Volturi. A veritable nest of vipers but I am immune to their venomous words, you are not. Having lived with these people and communicated with hatred and ire for thousands of years with them I am capable of bargaining with them. 

So, please, understand that while I go alone, I am safe.” When he’d had his say Kate shot a glance to Garrett for his reaction and found only hopeless confusion and desperation where she believed she would find anger or resolution. 

What exactly was he going to say to that now? All he wanted was to rant and rave that regardless of who he was to them their loyalty wavered like tall grass in a breeze. The moment he turned his back on Sulpicia they likely decided he was nothing to them. They saw his heart belonged to what they would describe as a lowly vagabond. 

Any anger that had built up within him had been based on fear and now the red hot ire had fizzled out leaving only cold, clammy fear gripping his stomach and lungs in a vice-like hold of ice and nausea. 

It took some effort but when he managed to speak he said very little. 

“I will be here when you get back.” Startled by the defeated sound of his voice Aro started forward only halting as Bianca’s bedroom door opened and she appeared dressed in clean untorn clothes looking far brighter than she had done earlier. 

“Take Garrett with you, you need to take him with you.” It wasn't cryptic in any sense of the word, but it was damned ominous, to say the least. Even with all eyes on her, she seemed unfazed and she strode into the room her heels clicking on the hardwood floor as she approached the three of them. 

“Is there any reason why I should?” Garrett rolled his eyes when he heard Aro’s silky tone as he questioned Bianca. His haughty expression had returned and he wondered if this was some sort of defence mechanism to hide true terror? 

Did Aro ever feel true terror? 

“You don’t have to question everything just because the suggestion wasn’t you’re idea, Aro.” Bianca snapped immediately she took a step back surprised at her own reaction. The urgency in her voice, as well as the anger, was surely justified but Garrett couldn’t pinpoint how. 

With a muddle of words swirling in his head that he couldn’t quite manage to arrange into a sentence Garrett moved to grab his jacket from the back of one of the sofas and slung it on in one fluid motion. 

“If fate says I go with you, I damn well go with you and you don’t get to argue about it this time!”

“So much for diplomacy.” Kate quipped with a sigh. 

“We don’t have time for that, right now. Thank you for quieting them down- these two argue about the strangest things.” Bianca was stood beside Kate now and when she moved to grab her own coat everyone collectively frowned. 

“We should all head up with you Aro. I have things I need to retrieve from my room, should they fall into the wrong hands, could spell the end of you and very quickly.” Garrett was feeling much less confident about everything as the minutes ticked by and restlessness set in once again. 

They had no real plan of action because, while Aro truly believed all would be well to a degree, they didn’t actually know how the Volturi would react to their leader handing off the coven to another. 

Even with Aro’s confidence, it didn’t settle Garrett’s nerves in any way. They were walking in blind, even with a fate, they had no way to divine what would happen. With a loud exhale Garrett moved for the door not wishing to voice uncertainty.

Their short walk back up to the castle was uninterrupted. The streets were slowly clearing of people as the sun sank and by the time they reached the square the shadows were long and the sounds of the town muted. 

It felt like they were walking into a trap. 

“I might just be paranoid but…” Kate trailed off as she spoke noticing Garrett nodding at her knowing exactly what it was she was trying to insinuate. Bianca and Aro said nothing and did not appear to be worried about any impending danger that may be lurking within. 

“Garrett, I don’t have a good feeling about this at all.” Kate’s whisper drew him from Aro’s side and they hung back a moment, thankful he wasn’t the only one uncomfortable with just striding in unprepared.”The second we walk through that door we’re done for I can feel it!” Her words were hissed out between bared teeth and there was fear in her eyes. 

“Something doesn’t right feel, I know.” Their unease was noticed by Bianca first and she hesitated to follow Aro toward the entrance. Reaching out she tugged Aro’s jacket in a bid for him to stop. Garrett watched as he turned to her then to himself and Kate realising that no one but he headed toward the door. 

No one but he was sure that they would be safe. 

“They will already know we are here. I think it would be rude to keep them waiting when they clearly know we are here. My odd behaviour won’t have gone unnoticed, they will require an explanation.” While he sounded insistent Aro made no move to coax them all inside, his eagerness wasn’t quite as sincere as he assumed it had sounded to his own ears. 

“We are with you one hundred percent of the way but just stop a moment. Don’t you feel that?” Garrett stepped toward Aro and slid a hand to his shoulder, turning him to face the vampire stronghold they stood in silence but when Aro shrugged Garrett let his head fall forward and he rested it against the back of Aro’s head. 

“It’s too quiet, they’re inside awaiting something. We’re walking into something dangerous get your wits about you. Haven’t you ever had to watch your back like this before?” Garrett already knew the answer to that. The Volturi guard had always been there to serve and protect so what need would Aro have of taking precautions? 

Arching a questioning brow at Garrett’s motives Aro waited in silence again and again shook his head signalling that he truly had no idea what he was supposed to be listening out for. 

“Is there any other entrance we can use over this one?” It was Bianca that answered this question with a shake of her head all the while she eyed the imposing building before them towering toward the sky. 

“Every entrance is guarded, the guards have a rota but there is usually only a 2-3 minute gap between the watch exchanges. We’d not find one quick enough to slip in unnoticed. And in any case, Aro is right, they know we are here.” Her mouth was set in a grim line as she fell silent, Kate quietly cursed beside Bianca but was obviously loud enough that Aro looked scandalised. 

Grand entrance it was then. Whatever awaited them at the other of the doors was a mystery and one Garrett was not intent on unravelling. They were in no way prepared for a fight if that was on the cards. 

“Guess we had better go inside, I need to get to my room as quickly as I can. If we aren’t apprehended as soon as we enter I might be able to slip off and grab what I need and meet you back in the lobby. 

I’ll take Kate with me, and you and Aro can go find Caius and Marcus. I know it isn’t much of a plan but until we know what we are faced with it’s the best we have.” The sudden confidence in Bianca was surprising but refreshing but it didn’t make Garrett feel any better about striding in completely blind to what lay in wait. 

Paranoia buzzed relentlessly in his brain like a thousand flies congregating in his skull, deafening and distracting and far too reminiscent of the sound that had filled his entire being as he slowly petrified mere weeks ago. 

Someone squeezed his hand. It was Aro, he had moved from in front of Garrett to his side and had his shoulder pushed against him as though trying to prop him up. Throughout the conversation Garrett had begun to sag at the hopelessness of everything they were up against. 

How could he be optimistic when they were almost certainly walking into a trap that would ultimately leave him with a gap in his memory and his heart? 

What man would have fight in him for that? 

“We’ll be ok, Garrett. We’ll only be split up for a matter of minutes. We’ll all be together again before you know it and we can end this once and for all. Even if ending it just means they release Aro from the coven we would have gotten what we came for.” Kate comforted softly, and mentally Garrett reminded himself to thank her properly when they were far, far away from Volterra. 

If there was one thing he was absolutely certain of it was that he really, really wanted to leave this God-forsaken city and never lay eyes on it again for as long as he lived. 

“This will not be like the battle that never was in Forks,” Aro began with a hint of impatience in his voice, “we are all going to walk in, Bianca will get what she wants from her room, I will meet with my brothers explain that I must leave and we shall all leave together. 

Please do not think me naive when I say this, but we truly have nothing to worry about. I am not asking for power or titles anything that requires lingering connections to the Volturi. I see no reason for them to refuse my request or lash out.” The bland look Aro received in response to his little speech would have been comedic had they not all wanted to strangle the man for his genuine confidence in the worst coven on the planet. 

“Garrett, I apologise for calling you a Yankee doodle dumb ass earlier. I take it back because Fruity McFingerDance here is the real idiot in this group.” Garrett let out a loud and unrestrained laugh at the nickname from Bianca though he almost instantly quieted himself hyper-aware that they were not alone and were definitely not having a private conversation in any sense of the word.

There was no denying that Garrett truly and deeply adored these people already. If Aro was given the gift of freedom these people would be the only ones he would ever need. There was love within them more radiant than any stars above them, they were carefree like a breeze over a meadow either a ripple through the greenery or something strong and wild that ripped up the world leaving roots and bones exposed to the elements. 

A force. A family. A home. 


	36. Chapter 36

##  Chapter Thirty Six

_ 'Cause you're going home, you're running free _

_ As only you would be if you never owed them anything _

_ And now you've found your way out _

_ In the trust you've seen your path on home _

_ Spend your time well before you go, here in hell _

“We cannot just stand here all night, and frankly, it is embarrassing. Are we frightened children afraid of the dark? Dare you not step foot into the darkened hallway without a candle to light your way?” Aro demanded in hushed tones his ruby eyes darting between the three of them awaiting an answer from someone. 

“You really need to update your vocabulary to something a little more modern.” Kate mocked wearing a sneer as she pushed past him and strode toward the door. Bianca followed close behind, the sound of her heels clicking on the stone floor bouncing off the walls of the square as she tried to keep up. 

That was that then. Kate had made the decision for them all and as she pushed the door open Garrett forced his legs to cooperate with him to follow suit. Aro was at his side remaining close as they strode forward after Kate who clearly had no intention of waiting around any more. 

As the door creaked closed behind them Garrett felt his skin prickle and that was when the split second of silence gave way to pandemonium as the Volturi guard slid from the shadows to apprehend them. 

Kate managed to floor a few of them the sparks crackling from her fingers arced across the room and left Demetri convulsing on the floor. Though short lived, Kate took pride in her victory with a smirk until Santiago steps over the incapacitated body of his fellow guard and in one large hand lifts Kate off her feet his fingers wrapped around her neck with ease. 

She kicks and struggles in his grip but he only lifts her higher before tossing her across the room his immense strength made her look more like a ragdoll than a fully grown woman. She flew backwards and crashed into the stone wall behind her and it crumbled around her with the force of the impact. 

He couldn’t see Bianca and as he moved forward to pull Kate back to her feet he found Aro missing from his side everything seemed to be falling apart at the seams in such a short space of time and Garrett had a hard time trying to piece together a plan of action. 

Each time he was poised to move something deep within him thrummed and brought him to a standstill. He was rendered useless when the thrumming became so strong that he had to use a wall to steady himself- out of the corner of his eye he saw Aro fighting off the guards but all the while throwing concerned glances back at him. He tried to wave Aro off but the metallic strum became thunderous and brought Garrett to his knees his hands at his ears as the vibration wracked his body so violently it felt as though his organs might come loose within him. 

The sound reverberated around him and within him ruthlessly, the shockwaves of such a sound rippled in the air and for a moment his vision was distorted. Yet it was relentless and the trickle of blood from his nose and ears was the only thing that brought him back to his senses as dulled as they were through the din. 

Turning this way and that, Garrett tried to search out his friends and his mate- Bianca was missing and with the sickening strum within and the noise of the fighting around him he could not hear her heartbeat. 

Struggling to right himself and lay his feet flat on the ground the chord in him was struck again and any semblance of balance he had grasped was just a fluttering thought that taunted him just out of reach of outstretched fingers. 

With a growl, he wiped the blood from his nose and pushed himself away from the wall and staggered toward Kate who was now backed into a corner her palms skyward as electricity crackled threateningly over her skin. 

Strangely, he was ignored as he slid to Kate’s side and he wondered if it were perhaps due to how incapacitated he was that he wasn’t worth the energy. Especially when he looked like a stiff breeze would knock him over. 

His friend, however, looked downright murderous and when she turned her gaze to him Garrett felt a genuine flicker of fear but her voice was impossibly soft as she spoke and it threw him off. 

“Find Aro. Get Aro and run, I can handle myself here.” She sounded doubtful that Garrett could do as she asked when she saw the state of him but with a shove with her shoulder she managed to direct him toward where Aro was standing face to face with Caius their expressions unreadable as they eyed one another. Neither moved an inch even when Garrett near fell into Aro’s side. 

Using his mate to regain his balance he inched his way toward the wall and slid down it his legs weakening beneath him as once again the thrum inside him roared and his bones rattled with it. 

Something was happening to him. 

Closing his eyes did not stop anything but the spinning of room subsided simply because he could not see it. The darkness behind his eyelids was welcome and the composure he believed long gone came upon him in slow waves.

When things seemed to calm inside and the thrum quieted somewhat he heard the telltale beat of Bianca’s heart and a spike of joy jolted through him. She was still alive. 

When he opened his eyes both Caius and Aro were looking down at him curiously and if not with a little concern. Garrett thought it odd that Caius would be worried but there wasn’t space in his brain to try and work that one out. 

A hand slid under his chin and his face was tilted so that his eyes now met with Aro’s he could see his own tortured expression in the glossy red that stared down at him. 

“Can you hear me?” Gods, his voice sounded so far away, his body twitched and he flinched away. Caius was leaning toward him, Aro allowing it though with a look of great displeasure, with his hand reaching for something on his face. His fingers touched upon his cheek and when he retracted his hand there was a smear of dark red. 

“He’s bleeding… from… ears, nose and eyes. I’ve never seen… ... all my life.” Caius’ words were muffled and Garrett squinted, trying to read the man’s lips to no avail. He couldn’t make out the conversation between the two standing over him but he knew it wouldn’t be anything good. 

Why were they so calm while a war waged behind them? The Volturi guard had Kate pinned to a corner and the smell of singed hair filled his nostrils and he grimaced. 

Somewhere off behind Aro and Caius someone screamed a sound so full of agony that both men before him turned quickly to inspect the scene. Garrett, not wishing to be left out and also furious that he was so damned useless when they needed him most, used the wall at his back to haul himself to his feet. 

The scene that greeted him… it would remain burned into his mind for as long as he lived. There was blood splattered across the walls and the floor another arc sprayed out from the unfortunate man raining down over the room. 

An agonised moan and a sickening drip as Demetri desperately tried to hold his hands against the now gaping wound in his stomach, blood and intestine oozed out and to Garrett’s horror he realised the wound would not or could not heal! 

Turning away for a moment he finds the one that had dealt the damage stood tall something silver gleamed dangerously in their hand and it left Garrett feeling as though he had caught the eye of a starving wolf. 

Sharp as wit- a dagger. 

It emanated an ancient and deadly power- and suddenly it was gone. Sequestered in a sheath of air and hidden from view of all those in the room… but they had seen it. They had watched it rent a man near in two and how his suffering now filled the air along with the smell of iron suffusing together into something terrible and wrong.

She tossed a smile at the group, Caius managed an impressed huff but nothing more- Garrett clutches at his own stomach in horror his eyes glued to Demetri unable to see anything but the gore of his innards slipping between blood soaked hands. 

Bianca had done this- he had made an unforgivable mistake in underestimating her, and while he knew she would never harm him, well, he knew it was in his best interests to remind himself of this moment when he believed her soft and gentle. 

To take such a leap from one image to another it left the world in negative colours for a moment and Garrett had to collect his thoughts and unwrap his arms from around his own waist. 

“We are not safe yet,” Aro called out almost politely to Bianca who had already set her sights on Santiago. He still dogged Kate’s every move. Each time Kate put distance between them Santiago closed it in a second taking his time to lift her off the ground before tossing her across the room. 

She slid across the floor and stopped a few places from Aro and the elder vampire scrambled to help her to her feet. Kate, thankful for his kindness, was wholly unfazed by the blood spattered Bianca, and instead Garrett watched as the scene came into focus for her and the light in her eyes… oh her expression so bright it was as though the sun peeked through nonexistent windows. 

“Out of all of us it seems you are more capable of saving the day than that guy,” Kate tossed a hand over her shoulder gesturing to Garrett without looking back to him. It was her gift to him that she didn’t look him in the eye. She was horrified at the blood dripping from the corners of his eyes, leaking from his nose and seeping from his ears. 

How many people he cared for had now seen him fall apart in some way? 

But the throbbing strum had stopped and his bones did not shake to the point it hurt. No, the silence in the room, the inaction of the Volturi guard it all signalled the end of their foray and when the door across from their group opened and Sulpicia stepped out Garrett knew this was the beginning of the real fight. 

“Welcome to the Volturi coven, I truly hope you enjoy your stay.” The sultry tone she started with gave way to something insincere and haughty, it smacked of overconfidence but no one moved to bar her way. 

Instead, the guard cleared the way for her and she delicately stepped over the pooled blood left by an incapacitated Demetri who had been dragged to the side of the room by Santiago. It wasn’t done in a way that suggested kindness, the gesture had been cold as Demetri was lugged away by the back of his jacket as he clutched at the still bleeding gash. 

When Sulpicia approaches the group she gives each of them a welcoming smile but her focus falls mainly on Garrett and a more feline grin spreads across her painted lips when she sees the now drying blood on his face. 

“Oh, I see my musical talent left you grievously harmed. I have always truly loved to pluck the strings of a harp but I’ve only threads available at the moment. My apologies that the song I played left you in such a state.” Purring so contentedly at her own words! Despicable. 

Still using the wall to hold him up, Garrett pushed himself from it, and with the last remnants of his energy, he gave Sulpicia a flourishing bow. He held his head low for a moment before it snapped up and revealed the sickly sweet smile stretched in an almost grotesque fashion across his face. 

“Pay no mind to my injuries, my lady. I am still standing and will remain so. Unlike your little guardian embracing himself so intensely struggling to ensure everything that he is inside does not fall out.” Out of the corner of his eye Aro’s hands fly to his chest, eyes wide with intrigue at this side of Garrett revealed from behind the curtain and the audience are entranced. 

This was a play. A dramatic production for the Gods to watch from their lofty thrones. 

“You are a thorn. A wretched creature that mars the halls of my coven. A stray dark cloud obscuring the moon. You have stolen my heart right before my very eyes and when he looks at me I am the villain of his love story now.” 

How often he had told himself that she deserved a voice to cry out her pain? That he had done this to her... They had given her no choice but it still felt unfair to be punished and for it to be so drawn out!

“You know as well as I do that this has nothing to do with me. I am sorry, Sulpicia, I’m sorry that this has happened to you but surely you understand that we are just pawns for a higher power to toy with.

I love Aro. Who is to say I’m not the one he is rightfully meant to be with? Who is to say that  _ you _ are supposed to remain at his side?” All of this just felt so cheap and childish and the theatrics of it all rubbed Garrett the wrong way leaving him feeling more like a child on a playground confronting a bully. 

She had not heard what she wanted to hear, even if it was not apparent to anyone what Sulpicia had wanted from them other than to give up. With a wave of her hand Garrett, Kate and Aro were apprehended by the guards and as they struggled their attention was drawn to Bianca who was now stood at Sulpicia’s side. 

“If you continue to struggle I cannot promise you that this lovely one stays alive.” Garrett watched as his friend, still spattered with blood and wild-eyed, is drawn to Sulpicia’s side. Bianca looked dazed and confused as Sulpicia strokes her hair whispering softly to her but he could tell that this woman was not the reason his friend seemed so out of sorts. 

Whatever had happened in the space of mere minutes had affected Bianca and she seemed so easily manipulated to the point that she did not refuse as Sulpicia took her hand and led her away. 

He was forced into walking by the guard at his back, though he still struggled in their grip he had to know that Aro and Kate were close by. 

Thankfully they were but there was no sign of Caius and with a flutter of hope he wondered if perhaps he had devised a plan with Aro previous to this wherein he would act as a spy on their behalf? 

Did the man have enough loyalty and respect inside him for such a thing? All he knew of Caius was hatred that pulsated within him more prominent than that of any heartbeat he may have possessed in his mortal days. 

If there was loyalty within the Volturi for Aro still would his mate truly wish to leave? 


	37. Chapter 37

##  Chapter Thirty Seven

_ You sleep in silence, _

_ tucked into satin sheets the colour of the moon _

_ She stands above you, remembering your hands _

_ They looked like cradles. _

  
  


“You seriously have a dungeon?” Kate is the first to speak and the glare in her voice is obvious, Garrett refuses to move his head from his knees where it has been rested since he was thrown into the dark and damp holding cell. 

“What exactly are you implying?” Aro snapped back though the harsh tone dissolved midway through the sentence and he just sounded tired by the end of it, he shuffled uncomfortably at Garrett’s side but did not move away. 

There was nowhere for them to go. There was barely any space to pace back and forth and Garrett knew he’d not stop if he started. The kind of monotonous movement he needed right now to stop the riotous thoughts clanging around in his mind. 

“This is in no way an implication when I say this, but why have a dungeon if you just kill everyone that does a slight thing wrong?” Kate was furious, of course, she was, they were in a dungeon being held deep underground with no idea what was going on above them and if Bianca was safe any longer. 

There was no response from Aro for a long time and so Kate continued. 

“I’m just curious because it feels like we’re the only people who have ever been dropped in here. Just means either vampires now have really great lawyers or you just get them killed and disposed of instead of anything remotely fair… you know. Fun thoughts like that come to mind while I am stuck here.” This was all just panic and frustration, Garrett knew that and they likely knew that but it didn’t help the situation to bring something up that may or may not have happened. 

“Kate, your speculations are not necessary right now. We need to work out how to get out of here. Don’t make enemies with your friends.” Garrett raised his head finally, and looked directly at her, her hair had fallen over her face as she stared at a spot a few paces ahead of where she sat knees drawn up to her chest like himself. 

A forlorn scene but she was handling it better than expected. Even with the sharp tongue present and poised. 

“She doesn’t mean it, Aro.” He whispered but Aro remained silent still and when he did finally conjure the energy to speak he defended her words. 

“Even if she did not mean it. Both you and I know she did and ...she is right. The dungeon was built more as a monument to our power. We held pride in ourselves for never having to use it but did not think or, perhaps, did not foresee the darkness it cast over our coven. 

Imagine how closed-minded we were as a group to think it was better to eradicate a problem person rather than try to rehabilitate them.

We are the monsters, Garrett and it took meeting you to realise that.” Awful, just awful to have had such an epiphany sat in a cold and soulless place. 

Unfurling himself he pulled Aro close to him and called out for Kate to sit on his other side. If they were in this together they needed to feel comfort together too. With his closest nearby not everything seemed so hopeless and while they were still groping in the dark blind to what the future may hold they weren’t ever going to be doing it alone. 

Garrett would make sure of that much. 

They remained huddled together, neither he nor Kate said anything about Aro’s admission. He had not wanted a reaction only a moment to explain himself and that was all, to get it off his chest that he had realised something and wanted to learn from it. 

It was sad that it had taken this long for him to see such a thing but it would never have happened had Garrett not come and shaken him up and whisked him away to another world outside of the coven. Looking from the outside in had helped him arrive at the conclusion that while the Volturi had power and upheld vampiric law… that was not always a good thing. 

Aro would never be seen as anything other than a dictator, a man with only power and control on his mind to everyone who was not involved in this mess. It would take some convincing on his part as well as Carlisle’s for the Cullen family to accept Aro in any capacity. 

The Denali clan would possibly accept him as Kate and the Cullen’s would vouch for him should they have enough luck on their side. Overall, Garrett imagined that with Kate and Bianca joining himself and Aro they wouldn’t really need anyone else but to have the option of seeing his friends would be nice. 

Thankfully, he knew Carlisle would never shun him and it was his acceptance and easy-going manner that Garrett would count on to see him through the transition of nomad no coven leader. 

Coven leader… should that be him? 

It was Kate’s idea. 

Regardless of who would lead it would be a rough road ahead of them. Aro’s presence would make things difficult for a long time until word spread that he was no longer part of the Volturi coven and had distanced himself from their values. 

Still, there would be people disbelieving of this and others that would hunt him down to see for themselves. Of course, the worst-case scenario was that he would end up in a fight and be killed but with Kate and Garrett himself there that seemed unlikely. 

It felt unlikely, at least. 

This was all based on whether or not Aro would truly leave and still wanted to which again he was basing on speculation regarding Caius. 

The more pressing matter was getting out of the cell and so far no one had one single idea. All the brain cells they had crammed into their heads and between them… this should have been easy. Their indecision was perhaps due to the fact that Bianca would not be safe if they fought against their captors. 

But they had to take that risk. 

“I can’t sit here anymore,”

“And you shan’t. Just give me a moment.” A disembodied voice floated through the door of their cell and Garrett instantly recognised it as Marcus. He shared a look of disbelief with Aro before all three of them scrambled to their feet and toward the door. 

“What are you doing? Bringing us to Sulpicia for our final judgement?” Kate barred the way by throwing herself in front of Aro and Garrett as her skin sparked and crackled as she stared down the gentle giant. 

“There isn’t any need to be so feisty, Kate. I am not here to bring harm upon any of you.” As sincere as he sounded Garrett was pleased he wasn’t the only one wary of him. Something about him screamed ulterior motive but he would cross that bridge when he got to it. 

“Yeah, you say that but we have no reason to trust you. You said so yourself when you showed up in New Orleans and dragged us back out here and put us into more danger than ever!” She was right and Garrett made no move to stop her from bringing that up. Strangely, he felt calm as though he wasn’t really worried about anything- it worried him slightly but he couldn’t feel any sort of panic rising up inside him he only felt Aro’s wariness of Marcus. 

“There is no reason to distrust me but I understand if you have misgivings. I recall what I said quite clearly and still stand by that sentiment, however, in this situation can you afford to ignore my help?” He had them there. They had no other help from anyone else he was, essentially, their only hope of getting out of the cell. 

When they exited the cell they were greeted with the sight of Caius stood waiting by the door of the dungeon keeping watch for anyone that might venture down. When he saw the three of them free he genuinely looked relieved. 

“So you let us out, what is the condition for this?” Garrett turns to face Marcus who is surprised by his question for a moment but gives a serene smile, he knew it had been coming. 

“I want to die.” 

Oh, that again. Garrett tilted his head to the side as he tried to assess the truth from the ancient. It didn’t seem as though this was a joke then again it hadn’t seemed that way the first time either. 

“My life has held no joy since I lost Didyme.” Marcus lamented his whole demeanour gloomy as it always had been since Garrett had first met him. The flare of guilt that flooded him was from Aro and he twisted on the spot to see his mate looking off elsewhere with Kate at his side unaware of his distress. 

“If Aro and I survive this come find us and we will do as you’ve asked.” If he didn’t want to be alive the least they could do for this help was to end his suffering. This might be the only chance he got. 

“You can all discuss this assisted murder later. If you want to escape this place you will need to move now.” Caius was trying to usher them toward the door but the three of them did not move, they weren’t planning on leaving without Bianca and Aro was the first to voice this. 

“We cannot, not without Bianca. She is not safe here.” 

“You’re serious… Aro, please. Sulpicia will kill us all if show your face, she will know someone helped you escape!” Caius sounded desperate now and Garrett truly felt for him, there was no need for anyone to die and yet Sulpicia was the one putting this on the table. 

“Then leave, we won’t tell anyone it was you. She has no one that can confirm if we are lying and if you have decent alibis there won’t be a problem.” Garrett was offering them a way out even though they did not have the time to be bartering about it. Marcus did not move, and Caius looked hesitant to leave them believing them too useless to take care of themselves seeing as they had all been locked up moments ago. 

“We’re not doing this for you, we’re doing it for our brother.” Caius snapped but Garrett didn’t care, this man was a like a rabbit with fangs. The least intimidating of the bunch even if he was the angriest. 

“I genuinely do not care who you’re doing it for. Shut up and help him if you’re so set on it.” 

Aro was at Garrett’s side now, a small smile plastered to his face as he tried in vain not to laugh at Caius and Garrett’s exchange. His arm slipped through Garrett’s linking himself to him keeping the space between them minimal. 

The closeness felt good it felt as though Aro was backing him up against his brother. Even if he wasn’t he hadn’t said anything to confirm it so he just gave Caius a smug smile which was received with an annoyed huff from the blond but there was no true anger in it. 

“Caius, you do not have to help us. The position this puts you in is dangerous. Your loyalty to me will never be forgotten but I would not hold it against you should you wish to leave us here and save yourself.” Aro assumed death was inevitable and Garrett felt his heartache at the stark truth of it, there were many involved in this and there was no guarantee that everyone would come out alive in the end. 

Marcus has already made it known that his wish was for the end of his eternal life. But how many more would beg for the same as the night played out? 

“I have been at your side for thousands of years as your brother and co-leader of this coven. I will not see it destroyed by the balled up fists of a banshee.” Caius snapped, though soon after he apologised to Aro for the unkind words he had used to describe Sulpicia. 

Garrett watched his mate shrug. 

“I no longer know the woman that inhabits her body. Garrett you have given her too much sway and too much sympathy. Every chance was given for her to grieve her pain and this is how she repays you. 

We are owed no apology for what she has done but we are owed peace. She could have walked away from this- we did not embarrass her and we did not slander her name and yet she is relentless in her onslaught to ruin your name and your life. 

Caius, while I do not agree with your words, I understand the sentiment and I am pleased to have your continued support. 

Should we come out of this alive, I would like to pass the coven onto you as you rightly deserve.” How spectacular this would have been as a speech to rally troops. Instead, he had the bare bones of, possibly, the worst war council on the planet. 

“Not to ruin the moment but we need to get moving,” Garrett interjected as politely as he could. Rather than argue the group murmured their agreement and proceeded to the door leading them out of the dungeon. 

“She will be in the room of threads if she hasn’t already left for Greece again.” It was more speaking his thoughts aloud than any sort of rundown for Marcus and Caius who were leading them through a myriad of dirt tunnels- they truly were deep underground. 

Those dungeons were for those meant to be forgotten not to be held to await a trial. Garrett shivered at the thought of any immortal being stuck there for any length of time alone with no light or sound only their own thoughts and memories to keep them company until they went mad. 

“If she has Bianca she will already be in Greece,” Kate replied though she too sounded as though she was merely speaking her own thoughts aloud to no one in particular. “How are we going to get there and what are we even going to do when we find her?” This time her question was directed to Garrett but he had no answer for her. 

Truthfully, he hadn’t imagined getting this far. With the way Sulpicia had threatened them and from what he had heard from others he really should have been dead by now, and all this time in between just made it seem as though she was stalling. 

Perhaps she waited for Aro to change his mind. 

His stomach flipped as he recalled the first time he’d met Aro properly, the hatred that burned in his eyes… that was long gone now. Garrett hadn’t even noticed when it had faded- Aro had given mixed signals for so long that it seemed now his hatred was more an act for everyone else.

If Aro had never hated him had he always been waiting for him?


	38. Chapter 38

##  Chapter Thirty Eight

_ Flesh on flesh on the dry earth _

_ Our reflections are the same _

_ Wearing dust, match the desert _

_ Past is captured as it's made _

They reached a set of stone steps relatively quickly thanks to Caius. As they began their ascent the focus turned Marcus and Didyme and it was hard for anyone to coax Aro to join into the conversation. 

For a while, it became increasingly difficult for Garrett to follow the conversation as the second-hand guilt from Aro roiled around inside him leaving him feeling decidedly unwell at the strength of it. 

As much as he wanted to bring it Aro’s attention he did not. So, while everyone’s attention was on Marcus recalling the first time he had ever met Didyme, Garrett pulled Aro to his side and stopped them for a brief moment to press a kiss to his forehead. 

“It won’t ever go away if you keep it inside.” He whispered to his mate. Aro struggled in his grip pushing Garret away but his expression once revealed, was that of sheer terror and not anger as Garrett had assumed. “Please, tell him. Let it go and tell the truth for once in your life. You want to grow and change, here is your chance.” Their whispering caught the attention of the group and brought them to a stop. 

When Garrett looked up at them he could see the top of the stairs beyond them and an archway to the main floor. There was a bright light casting a beam over the last few steps to the top. The shadows of the other three elongated so much so that it covered himself and Aro in a darkness that he was, for a moment, happy for. 

“For someone that was in a hurry earlier, you seem not to care that we have been dragged to a stop!” Caius chided his anger subsided almost instantly at the sight of Aro’s face. He took a few steps down towards them but Kate stopped him throwing her arm out to bar his way. “How da-” Caius was cut off by Marcus raising his hand for quiet and Kate tossed him a smug ‘ _ I told you so _ ’ look that would have caused further bickering had Marcus not spoken then and there.

“You have something you need to admit, Aro?” Marcus’ deep voice was so sincere and full of genuine concern that Garrett had to look away to bite his lip. His own guilt washed over him, guilt for slowing them down and for pushing Aro to do something like this… but it would help, wouldn’t it? 

Clearing the air by admitting he was the cause of such a tragic moment in Marcus’ life would be cathartic for Aro. Yes, there would be pain but this man had remained at Aro’s side for so long and he deserved the truth. 

“There is no easy way to tell you this, Marcus,” Aro began haltingly. The depth of sorrow in his voice was truly painful to endure but he pressed on. “Didyme, the night she died, I was there.” The silence on the stairway was oppressive to the point it might as well have been empty. 

“Brother, I know this. I know how she died and why you did it.” His response was wholly unexpected and Garrett’s head whipped around to stare up at the ancient. Marcus looked so content and unaffected by the admission from Aro and himself. Rather, he looked pleased that Aro had told him. This was the face of a man that had held onto Aro’s secret for years in the hope that his brother would find the courage to admit to his face what had happened. 

“How have you kept your loyalty to me and this coven for so long? It was my hand that ended her life and left you to live a life of loneliness.” Aro took a step up but no more than that, there was still space between them and would remain such until this was resolved to a degree. 

A look was exchanged between Garrett and Kate, the kind of look that screamed ‘Yikes’ if it ever became appropriate for either of them to utter such a thing. 

“You’re suffering now. I had not always believed in karma, Aro. I lived with bitterness in my heart long enough to see it harden and then break away. Time truly heals all wounds even those inflicted by the closest of friends and family. Seeing your pain and your sapping strength as you fight to keep Garrett at your side shows me you have changed. 

I know that mere weeks ago you would not have admitted this, you would not have seen your act of murder as just that murder. You, for a long time, saw her death as a means to hold power and nothing more. 

Didyme died so that you could use her as a stepping stone to reach the lofty heights you now sit at. Your throne rests upon rivers of blood and the bones of those you saw unfit to help you in your cause but used the guise of the law to hide your greed. 

You are not that man now and the pain you feel fighting for the one you love has been what it took to see a change in you. For that reason I do not ask for revenge, I only ask that you keep your word and let me die when the dust finally settles on this little saga.” After having said his piece Marcus turned and began the ascent to the top of the stairs without another word. The rest of the group followed though Aro lagged behind still shellshocked at what he had heard, Garrett prompted him to move but did not say anything. There was nothing he could say and Aro was likely thankful for the silence. 

It would take more than the trek up the stairs for Aro process any of this but they didn’t have time, they hadn’t had time for that at all but it had to happen. 

Still, he couldn’t feel the panic rising yet and he wanted to take that as a good sign. His brain didn’t seem all that connected to his heart at the moment and so the feelings he was experiencing didn’t match up with his thoughts. 

On the main floor, he was surprised that not a single soul wandered the hallway, no guard patrolling the exit to the dungeon. Again, this seemed to be more Sulpicia’s overconfidence than bad planning. 

Or both. 

“This thread room you mentioned. Where would it be?” Caius took all of this very well even considering the apprehensive look he was giving Garrett. He didn’t have to believe in any of it to want to help and that was almost admirable of him. 

“It’s close to the main chamber but I also saw it by Bianca’s desk. So, basically, it could be anywhere in this place.” 

“So you don’t know where it is?”

“I thought that would be obvious by what I just told you, but ok…” Garrett responded evenly, it drew a smirk from Caius which dispelled any ill-feeling between them. Who had the energy to hate someone they barely knew? 

“Best we seek out both locations together. Splitting up to cover more ground seems foolish.” He spoke sense, and Garrett could see why Aro respected Caius as much as he did, he might have been bloodthirsty but he still thought with logic. 

It did not bode well that they came across not a single other occupant in the stronghold as they moved quickly and quietly through the hallways. Garrett’s skin prickled when he realised that they were completely alone. 

Had Sulpicia taken them with her to Greece? 

It didn’t seem to make any sense if she had, what purpose did they have there? Unless she knew Caius and Marcus were still loyal to Aro and had preemptively arranged the departure with the guard to ensure her safety? 

“I feel like we might die.” It was the first thing Kate had said for quite some time. Her light tone out of place when compared to the gravity of her statement. “I know that maybe it is morbid and defeatist to say it... but a lot of your guys have defected. We can’t take them all on.” No one wanted to agree with her even if she was right. 

Still, she couldn’t have taken everyone! What about Caius’ wife and those that were not part of the guard? Had… had she killed them? 

Surely not, Caius would not be so coherent had his wife been murdered. He would have known if she had died. He assumed their connection was as strong as his and Aro’s but if it wasn’t should he ask Caius to check on his mate? 

It wasn’t his place to mention it but it would plague him if he didn’t say anything. 

“Is your wife safe?” Garrett asked quietly, beside him Aro tensed up as though the thought had not occurred to him. The blond vampire merely gave a quick nod not wishing to speak of her likely in case they were not actually alone. 

“Sulpicia did not take her. She is still safe.” That was all he said and they continued their search for the room of threads. 

Just as they passed Bianca’s desk in the lobby Garrett halted when a familiar wooden door came into view- it was there. They’d found the room of threads and so far he hadn’t forgotten anything about Aro.

They were doing well. Not that it really meant anything then and there but they were all still alive at least. 

Garrett darted for the door without alerting the rest of the group and as he approached it he saw something silver gleaming in the wood. 

It was the dagger Bianca has used earlier to slash open Demetri's stomach. It was wedged into the wood of the door with a note attached written hastily as the words slanted down the page. The writer had only a few moments to scribble the information down. 

It gave Garrett some relief to see that Bianca was at least coherent enough to plan to leave behind a note of some description. Grabbing the dagger he pulled it from the splintered wood with ease and plucked the note from the blade. 

The rest of the group were with him now, Caius and Marcus had brushed past him and entered the room and we're now stood in awe of the thousands and thousands of red threads that rose high above them in a tower that seemed never-ending over their heads.

_ Garrett _

_ The dagger won't work for you _

_ Bring it to me the room will show the way it trusts you  _

_ Dunno why you're so dumb I love you _

_ Bring the dagger it may be the only chance we have to free you of her.  _

_ Bianca.  _

Brief and if not a little bit confusing. Apparently, the room was sentient? That was definitely not information he was happy to be gifted with but it was done now. Magic was a constantly changing landscape with no true map. Now Garrett was involved with it trying to navigate something so far from his comprehension that he might as well have been a child trying to reach the top of a mountain with footstool as the only help they had! 

Kate and Aro were situated at either side of him reading the note over his shoulder. When Aro reached for it he handed it over with ease and walked into the room. 

The last time he'd been in there the room had collapsed around him- if that had been its idea of a joke… maybe he didn't have a sense of humour?

"The room will show you the way?" Aro asks now entering through the door with Kate in tow. He was clutching the note tightly in his hands hoping it would give him more information than had written on it and Garrett sympathised because it was pretty vague. 

It was better than nothing and he knew Bianca had done her best to leave it for him. He wondered if, perhaps, Aro was just worried about her? 

"Now that we are here what comes next?" Caius' voice came from far inside the room and Garrett had to squint through the threads to see him. He was looking up towards the top of the tower with pure reverence on his face at the sheer magnitude of what he was seeing. 

"What are the white threads?" Marcus asks not allowing Garrett to answer Caius' question which was perfect because he didn't know where they went from here. 

"They're the threads of the undead… uh… us basically." Slipping between the rows, Garrett moved deep into the room until he was side by side with Marcus. The ancient looked down at the strings with curiosity that seemed more suited to finding an interesting book than an object that encompassed one's whole life in a fibre so strong it took a God-like creature to destroy it. 

Reaching out Garrett ran a finger along the thread he knew was his and he felt a shudder come unbidden down his spine. Following the thread, he stopped when it suddenly intersected with another. In a bold move, he gently plucked the white string and from behind him, he heard Aro gasp there was some scuffling and when he turned to face Aro he was stricken and paler than normal. 

"W-what was that?" The words were gasped out as Kate helped Aro right himself. His hair was dishevelled having fallen loose from its tie. One simple strum had undone the man and it looked fantastic. 

With such a vision before him, Garrett clean forgot the dire situation they were in. Time was of the essence and for some reason that meant nothing when he had Aro looking truly debauched by one simple pluck of a thread. 

"Eye fuck him later. We need to get moving." Kate teased with a smile as she walked past him toward Caius who now tapped his foot impatiently. 

"She is vulgar but I agree with the sentiment." Caius gave Kate a mock look of shock when she flipped him off as she pushed past him to explore the depths of the room. 

Garrett followed Kate with Aro in tow, he pats Caius on the shoulder offering a weak sympathetic smile before ushering his decidedly unnerved mate to his side.


	39. Chapter 39

##  Chapter Thirty Nine

_ This is for their own desire _

_ As they spit down to the earth _

_ To feel the power _

_ Boiling in their veins _

  
  
  


He had no idea what he was supposed to be doing and where he was meant to be going. 

Rereading Bianca’s note hadn’t helped either. The room trusted him and yet it was unhelpful but what was he supposed to expect from four walls and a floor? Magic didn’t just seep in through the cracks!

As his thoughts swirled around him Aro’s grip on his arm tightened and it wasn’t until it pinched at his skin did he realise something was happening around them quite out of the ordinary. 

The room began to creak and groan as hairline cracks began to crawl up branching out like a web across the clean expanse of wall across from him. When the sound stopped they were left with what looked like something less structurally sound. Moving Aro’s hand from his arm so that he could move, Garrett walked over to the wall and smoothed a hand over the crumbling surface. 

When the wall shuddered and creaked again he jumped back yanking his hand away as though burned. The hairline cracks widened marginally and Garrett, against his better judgement, leaned in peering into the cracks there was something there behind the walls. 

“Garrett, what is it?” Kate’s voice floated in from behind him, not close enough that she could see what he was actually doing. Aro had likely held her back from following him in an attempt to help keep at least one person safe through all of this. 

Light peeked through the cracks and again he reached out to smooth a hand over the biggest scar, plaster and brick crumbled away under his palm as he did so, this time he did not flinch. Instead, he dug his fingers into the space between the cracks and began to tear at the wall watching it fall away with ease.

“Someone help me, I think I’ve found a way through!” The group was hesitant to move but in the end, Kate appeared at his side and after watching Garrett for a second proceeded to do the same as he. 

“I guarantee you that this is not the way Bianca travels because have you seen her nails? Immaculate.” The humour in Kate’s voice went unnoticed by Garrett as he grabbed great chunks of the wall and pulled it away tossing it aside not realising that every time he threw the pieces away that they never once hit the floor. 

“How marvellous. We truly do stand in a room composed entirely of magic.” Marcus breathed, he was at Garrett’s other side now his pale hand reaching out to the wall his fingertips barely grazing the surface and it crumbled with ease the dust and rubble falling into nothing. “This room trusts you, the note said, yes?” 

When he did not receive a response Marcus simply plucked the note from Garrett’s back pocket of his jeans, where it had been hastily shoved, and earned a warning snarl from somewhere behind him. Which, of course, he paid no heed to. 

“This dagger, I saw it earlier but what does it do?” This time Garrett stopped what he was doing and he turned to Marcus hoping his expression portrayed his displeasure at being constantly interrupted. 

“Well, Demetri can’t heal after being slashed in the gut with it so… my guess is that it fucks you over and then you die. Of course, that would interest you wouldn’t it and no you can’t see it.” Garrett answered curtly though his hand moved to feel out the shape of the dagger in his pocket, it shouldn’t have fit there with any sort of ease and yet it was perfectly nestled within the fabric. 

This seemed to satisfy Marcus enough that whatever further queries he had went unvoiced. He was handed the note back and Garrett shoved it back into his pocket and turned back to the wall, but not before he gave the ancient vampire a long narrow-eyed look. 

It was hard to trust the man for whatever reason though he hadn’t done anything but help Garrett at every turn. But perhaps that was what unnerved him that he seemed to be there whenever help was needed and the situation was dire? 

Luck had not been on Garrett’s side for the duration of this and it left him sceptical of anyone’s insistence in helping him. Aside from Kate and Bianca, and maybe Carlisle, anyone only partially involved in this nightmare was seen as a potential enemy but he couldn’t bring himself to admit that kind of paranoia to anyone. 

Not even Aro who he knew would likely understand his misgivings. 

At his side, Kate let out a sudden exclamation of surprise and Garrett's focus was drawn to her hands. Where there should have been wall was now nothing and for a moment inky darkness seeped in. It glistened with the swirls of purple galaxies and diamond-like stars before it receded in seconds and only sunlight poured in from the gap. 

"I'm going to go ahead and say that we're not going to see Italy when we step out of this room," Kate whispered and hesitantly she pulled at the crumbling wall again to enlarge the gap. 

“What was that thing coming out of the wall first?” Garrett wondered aloud. He didn’t expect an answer and did not wait for one as he moved to help Kate in making the hole in the wall big enough to climb through. 

The more they tore down the more of the outside world they could see and it didn’t look like any place Garrett had been before. Marcus made a noise that sounded like curiosity but made no move to get closer and instead turned to Aro beckoning to him. 

“Tell me what you see out there.” Marcus rested a hand on Aro’s shoulder which he shrugged off with ease and slid between Garrett and Kate to see whatever it was that had Marcus intrigued.

Garrett pulled a great chunk of the wall away from above him before he and Kate finally stopped and left the wall with a more than human-sized hole which they would be able to easily step through. 

“Where are we, Aro?” Marcus pushed and Garrett had to withhold a biting retort at how irritated he was by the insisting tone he used. “It looks very familiar, does it not?” 

They all watched in silence as Aro put a hand to the wall and slowly stepped through the hole and out into the bright sunshine, his skin sparkled and revealed a riot of colour as he gazed up at the sky before taking in the empty city that lay before him. 

“This cannot be.” The words were barely formed and came out on a shaking breath from Aro. “I… know that the fates are real but my mind did not truly connect the facts that if they existed then so surely must the Gods of Mount Olympus.” He trembled and Garrett took this as a sign that he was, perhaps, needed at his mate’s side. 

“We’re on Mount Olympus?” Garrett surveys the grand city that lay empty below them and ran a hand through his hair. It seemed pretty unbelievable that they now stood in the land of the Gods but stranger things had happened lately and Garrett couldn’t write this off as nonsense anymore. 

“So it would seem.” His mate’s voice was still low, hesitant, and it quivered with each syllable he uttered. How it had affected him to see a world that he had not ever believed in. Aro had always maintained he was not a religious man. No devil or angel, no gods nor any other deity could change his mind… until now.

“Where are all the Gods?” Garrett felt like an impudent child boldly querying such a thing but so far all they had was pristine yet empty streets. “Are they all napping or something?” 

Beside him, he heard Aro stifle a quiet laugh and felt the older vampire nudge him in the side to hush him, but he could tell there was no answer to his question. Was this the same as that old line from The Tempest “Hell is empty all the devils are here’? The insinuation that Earth was where all manner of good and evil resided and that there was not one place for one or the other? 

Was that even what the line meant?

This wasn’t the time to contemplate Shakespeare. 

“Seeing as I’ve never set foot in such a place before, I cannot be confident in the information I provide.” As snide as Aro believed he had sounded it came out more reverent than anything else. 

They both spent a moment simply taking in the scenery, the place was beautiful and untouched by the modern world. They were on the top of a hill, the temple they had stepped out onto was open to the bright blue sky above them not a single perfect white fluffy cloud could be seen for miles and miles. Still filled with awe at the sheer beauty of the place, Garrett couldn’t help but think that perhaps they were so high up clouds didn’t form there… but he had no idea how any of this would work, not really.

Was Mount Olympus the true home of the Greek Gods? Was it on the same plane of existence as the mortals residing below? 

Geography outside of America wasn’t his strong point, but he was pretty sure that the copious amounts of magic being used to seclude the place from humans meant logic didn’t have a place here. 

“We should probably tread carefully and maybe see if anyone is home?” He turned neatly on his heel and peered back through the hole into the room of threads. Kate, Marcus and Caius looked back all curious of the outside world but unwilling to step out into it. 

“So far everything seems fine. There’s no one here. Are you coming, Kate?” He watched her step out into the bright sunshine her skin glittering prettily though Kate frowned at this. Garrett found it quite pleasing to see. 

She and Aro were wonderful under the sun and for a moment he simply looked from one to the other his heart full of love to the point of bursting. 

“You are both going to remain here should Sulpicia return?” Aro broke the silence as he too approached the hole in the wall. Both the remaining Volturi simply nodded not looking overly keen on the bright sunshine but very much unable to look away at the three glittering before them. 

“That settles it then. Caius, should anything happen the coven is yours. Marcus, should we die then I leave the decision with the new coven leader on what to do with you.” As formal and business-like as his behaviour was, Garrett understood why Aro was not going for an emotional farewell. 

Not only would it, in his mind, sully whatever reputation he had left it would be awfully embarrassing should they share any sort of emotional goodbye, only for him to return well and unscathed. 

Though, at this point, Garrett thought it seemed useless to try and grab at any last shred of superiority seeing as everyone knew and had always known Aro was a brat. 

“I really hope Bianca is ok… She didn’t seem herself when Sulpicia led her off earlier. What if she doesn’t return to her normal self after we find her?” Kate was anxious, even without the tone of her voice giving it away it was wildly apparent. 

The way she wrung her hands together and chewed on her lip it was obvious that the blonde was fretting over the fate. While they had only known one another for a few days, Garrett noticed that Kate was extremely protective of Bianca and that in itself gave him peace to know she would not be alone should anything happen to him. 

Did Bianca already have friends and family in Volterra? She had never spoken of anyone other than her sisters of fate. 

Had she waited for him to arrive at Volterra because she knew that they would become friends? Looking back at all the instances wherein they had spent time together it had never seemed that way, and she had never mentioned that she knew what his fate was… well, aside from him being soulmates with Aro. 

Had the gold thread belonged to her? 

There were many questions he hoped to have answered at some point but the more important task at hand was actually finding the two. 

While he didn't want to admit it out loud or even to himself, Garrett was hesitant in coming face to face with Sulpicia. She didn't frighten him but she seemed to sap him of energy. 

Everything was circles with Sulpicia. She wanted answers and Garrett understood that. She deserved the answers she sought but somewhere along the line that need had become a need for resolution. 

There was no middle ground. 

Either she had Aro by his choice or she would force his hand.


	40. Chapter 40

##  Chapter Forty

_ None of us will be deciding _

_ And the fate of man is in the hands _

_ Of he who stands and heeds the call _

  
  


“I imagined it would feel more foreboding than this.” Aro’s statement was met with a curious look from Kate, but Garrett knew what he had meant and only gave a quick nod. “This is the land of the Gods and I feel more at ease than, perhaps, I should. We might as well be walking the streets of Volterra.” 

While he agreed, Garrett still took his time to take in his surroundings and remained as vigilant as ever. The paranoia that had niggled at him in the back of his mind had not abated and so he continued to move with caution. 

As an ex-soldier he knew that quiet and empty streets were not always a good sign. 

They walked for a long time down the hill passing home upon home each as grand as the next and all of them towering high up into the vast blue above them. This world was truly breathtaking and it took everything in Garrett to keep walking rather than explore and with amusement he felt the same in Aro. 

Each home they passed, lavish and structurally fantastical, had certain elements that set them apart. A personality was set into the stone with use of colour or architecture but Garrett couldn’t fathom who each abode belonged to. 

Aro on the other hand speculated aloud with Kate. 

“It has such a romantic look about it, the bridge over the stream and the low hung purple wisteria you would be unable to stop yourself from sighing at the experience of being there.” The elder vampire sounded rather caught up in the description of the place and when Garrett turned his attention to the house in question he kind of understood why. 

The place seemed wrapped in a gauzy dream like atmosphere, pink petals floated down a joyful trickling stream and a soft breeze gently bowed the heads of the myriad of flowers dotting a meadow like garden beyond the bridge. 

The house itself was bright white and almost blinding under the cloudless sky. Something about it was reminiscent of an elegant Georgian manor house but not quite capturing that look entirely. 

The front door was almost obscured by the purple clematis creeping over a painted white pergola hanging like a curtain, in turn leaving the entrance to the house to look more like the door to the fae realm. 

“So you’re saying Aphrodite?” Kate concluded both she and Aro had come to a stand still outside the home but neither moved to enter the garden through the large white wrought iron gate. Again, the look of reverence was etched into Aro’s features.

Carlisle had been right, the elder vampire really was a sucker for romance. But he would keep that secret for his mate even if it seemed so very apparent right then and there. 

“As much as I would love to let you both play ‘guess who’ with these places we have something more important to do.” Garrett spoke gently and when he approached them neither argued but they did sigh almost wistfully which in itself was sweet if not a tad odd. 

The atmosphere the entire place gave off was one of romance and it hung in the air like sweet perfume… or rather there was a sweet perfume pervading the air from the garden and from the flowers still waving in the light breeze that only seemed to exist behind the tall white fence. If it was the Goddess of Love’s home it was likely enchanted to make people feel that way and it definitely worked. 

“Do you think there will be consequences for us being here, we’re not human but were once and for us to come here uninvited feels like we’re trespassing.” Kate motioned around her as she spoke, she seemed unsure if what she was saying held any weight and beside her Aro scoffed. 

“I’m sure we can ask should we bump into a stray God loitering around.” It was obvious the place was deserted and it showed in Aro’s relaxed demeanour. There was no fear in him and no discomfort at the situation they were currently in not even inside deep down and that worried Garrett. 

They were heading toward what could be the end of them and Aro took it as relaxed stroll! 

Something wasn’t right but he had no idea where to start to pinpoint what. 

“What exactly are we looking for?” Kate asks as they begin their walk again, the hill they had stepped out on seemed more like a mountain as they trudged down toward the base, even with vampiric speed they didn’t seem to be making much of a dent in distance. 

“I honestly have no fuckin’ idea, Kate. I haven’t been here before. I don’t know if we’re even going the right way.” The only way was down and it didn’t seem like the mansion sized homes had any sort of back alleys that led them anywhere else. 

Kate and Aro forged on ahead while Garrett lagged behind trying to formulate some kind of plan. It wasn’t as if there was a map of the place with a giant arrow saying ‘You are here’ that would be helpful but they weren’t exactly in a mall. 

Glancing back to check how far they were from the summit now his blood ran cold when a figure dressed head to toe in black stopped mere paces from them. Their yellow eyes were trained on Garrett and when he turned to face them they did not move only their gaze narrowed as though goading Garrett into trying something. 

Almost immediately Kate and Aro were at his side and from the corner of his eye he saw sparks racing over the blonde’s skin, he threw out a hand to halt any attack she might have had in mind and instead dropped any defensive stance he had and opened the floor to the stranger. 

Seeing that the three posed no threat for now the stranger stepped forward and offered a flourishing bow, the rest of their face was obscured by a scarf or hood of some description and they promptly pulled it down to reveal a sharp-toothed grin. 

“Well, well, another sparkling human has stepped foot on our holy land.” Their voice seemed to come across as masculine one moment then feminine another but it did not hide the snideness in their words. 

“There are three of us, or is the sun in your eyes, stranger?” Garrett called out. He ensured his voice held no threat even if his words would absolutely be construed as vaguely challenging. “You’ve seen another of our kind?” When he questioned the stranger they vanished for a split second before appeared near nose to nose with Garrett who, to his credit, did not jump but did take a lazy step backwards to ensure there was some distance between them. 

“Oh yes, another one of you. Whatever  _ you _ are. Human looking, human sounding but almost inhuman in every other aspect. I saw that sparkling beacon of malice and how she dragged my poor unwitting sister Clotho toward the lake and toward my sisters’ home.” Garrett winced at the information gifted and how it had been proffered with such heated rage yet the tone calm. Terrifying. 

“Bianca, is she ok?!” The stranger sneered at the name but the expression soon dropped and they held a look of surprise. Something Garrett had said caught them off guard and rather than the hostility that radiated from them earlier they seemed more at ease. 

“Y-you are here for my sister?” 

“Please, if you know where she was taken you must tell us!” It was Kate’s turn to speak now and the worry in her voice would have broken Garrett’s heart had he not felt so very suspicious of this person standing before them. 

“If she was in trouble why didn’t you help her yourself?!” Garrett almost spoke over Kate his anger bubbled near the surface and the only thing that kept him grounded was Aro’s hand sliding into his to hold him back. 

The stranger shrugged shifting from one foot to the other as though standing still for too long left them antsy. They dressed for stealth and yet seemed to be so full of frenetic energy they near crackled their eyes brighter now than they had been before. 

"Didn't seem in so much trouble as more letting yet another person string her along like she always has. That one is easily manipulated with kind words so… I just left her." They shrugged as though what they'd said was perfectly normal and that it didn't matter if their beloved sister was hurt. 

If it was a common occurrence to them Garrett wondered how often it happened. How many times had Bianca been hurt and used because she was so trusting of people? 

Had she expected him to hurt her too? 

"So you just let her be used up like some novelty toy?" Kate snarled she took a step forward and the stranger was on high alert right away. Their relaxed stance vanished and in its place was something tightly wound yet fluid at the same time. 

A great cat poised to attack with all the grace of one too. Garrett couldn't hide how impressed he was by the person before him and it took a jab from Aro to bring him back to the present. 

"Quite finished?" Thinly veiled jealousy but Garrett needed to only toss a grin Aro's way for the man to calm down. 

"Kate back down, this person is a God you can't compete against them." As if those were the magic words the stranger turned back to Garrett and smiled brightly to the point it was almost childlike. 

Whatever they had wanted to say in response to Garrett was cut off by the exclamation of another. 

"I know who you are!" Aro cried with a tone that sounded vaguely like delight. He threw out a hand to point at the stranger who merely cocked a brow as if to say ' _ oh really? _ '. It wasn’t so very challenging was the expression, and Garrett caught a glimmer of relief in the their eyes. 

The four of them stood in the deserted street, three facing off against one the unrelenting sun beating down on them. Such a surreal experience it was- Garrett was sure neither he, Aro or Kate could remember the last time they had stepped out into such a bright day. 

Old habits die hard, apparently, as Kate threw her hood over head to shield her face, her expression now cloaked in shadow. Her hands were still raised slightly in a pose ready for attack but her skin remained pale and smooth no sparks zipped between her fingers or raced over her palms. 

The stranger looked impatient now as he urged Aro to continue his revelation. Their hands open fingers crooked as though to draw the answer from him with a light sense of urgency. 

“You are Dolos. A God known for trickery and deception and guile.” Typical that it would come out as a near perfect textbook definition from his mate but Garrett made himself react accordingly and he turned quickly to Dolos eyeing them suspiciously which seemed to please them.

“At your service! Or rather, I may be if you can convince me why I should help you.” They looked positively delighted to have been recognised and named by Aro. Garrett still had no idea who they were and that was perhaps why they seemed so pleased- they were a lesser known God by the standards of literature and education in the modern world. 

“Your sister, Bianca, she is being manipulated to do awful things and now your other sisters are involved.” Kate blurted out but it didn’t seem to affect Dolos in anyway. In fact, they had the nerve to look somewhat bored by the admission. 

Bianca clearly got herself into this kind of trouble a lot. 

“Look, from the outside looking in, we need your help for selfish reasons. I can see that and you can see that. You’re a smart God it was in the description of your role! Just show us where the sparkling woman took your sister and we can handle it from there.” Garrett hoped that, by removing as much information from the God, they would bristle at not being included and force their way in to offer their, oh so generous, help. 

It worked. Miracles did happen and at the oddest of times. 

“Hey, hey, just wait a moment. If you’re going after that woman and need to  _ save _ my sister from her I should know what is going on!” 

Garrett felt wasted in his current profession as a nomad. He really could have been a master negotiator for a vampire clan or something. 

Well, maybe not but, damn, he was good at reading people… vampires… Gods. 


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot happened in my personal life that made it difficult for me to continue this and upload chapters regularly. Now that has passed I can, hopefully, post more again. Happy New Year everyone.
> 
> I hope 2020 is good to you.

##  Chapter Forty One

_ Dead is the new alive _

_ Despair’s the new survival _

_ A pointless point of view _

That restless feeling he had so far avoided since stepping foot on Mount Olympus came back with full force and Garrett had to throw himself into the rhythmic motion of pacing to calm his nerves. 

"If you're willing to help we need to be able to trust you and so far you've given us no reason to." Garrett pointed out. He still paced and made no move to stop even when Dolos began to follow him with their cat-like eyes.

For the first time in his long life, and in a long time, he felt like prey or even a toy.

Truly this person was like a great cat with the way they seemed to effortlessly keep their eyes on him all the while being aware of where each of them stood. This one was clever, a dark cunning hid behind the mask of youth they wore for show. Dolos was clearly capable of keeping the three of them hanging on by a thread with very few words. As young as they looked and as naive as they came across… it could all be an act and Garrett kept this in mind.

It was no doubt an act and he knew to be mistrustful until proven wrong. Deep down he knew Dolos was going to betray them for fun but until then Garrett promised himself he would remain wary of them and only use them when he absolutely had to.

“You haven't given me any reason to believe you are not here to hurt Bianca. How can I be sure that she is safer with you than that sparkly woman?” Hearing Sulpicia being referred to as a ‘sparkly woman’ truly ruined whatever image Garrett had of her in his mind. The queen of ice and ire, so elegant and yet unthinking in her desperate need for revenge would not appreciate being remembered as just sparkly.

It irritated him how complicated this was becoming, as though the whole situation wasn’t a massive inconvenience to him already. If the fates had just minded their own business in the first place none of this would be happening. Bianca would be safe, Aro would still be happy with his wife and he and Kate would be off in Alaska being a normal damn couple in the snow.

Just thinking of how things should have been originally seemed odd, another world, an alternate universe. It didn’t quite fit, even his romantic feelings for Kate seemed so wildly inappropriate and uncomfortable to consider now.

An earlier thought occurred to him again and he turned to look at Aro. His mate was glaring at Dolos, or rather an approximation of a glare because as much as he probably wanted to look formidable, with the sun in his eyes he just looked uncomfortable and mildly irritated. A rush of adoration spiked with amusement assaulted him and it must have been intense because he saw Aro’s eyes dart to the side, his sideways glance meeting Garrett’s for a split second. The corners of his mouth quirk up into a barely-there smile but it was all Garrett needed to know that his feelings had been acknowledged and fully returned.

This happened in a matter of seconds and as though it had never happened his mate’s sanguine eyes were trailing Dolos’ every move again.

“We don’t owe you an explanation if we cannot be promised safe passage to the lair of the fates.” Aro intervened before Garrett could spout any kind of abuse at the trickster who was half expecting it, because when Aro spoke their yellow eyes widened for a fraction of a second before snapping to Aro and narrowing in distaste at his bargaining.

“You know I could just kill you now and solve this with relative ease.” The comment was breezy, the kind of tone reserved for casual conversation and not what was, essentially, three vampires standing off against a minor God.

“You would hurt your sister doing such, that I can guarantee.” Aro retorted smoothly, but of course, this would be easy for him, Aro danced on the knife’s edge continuously. Speaking with ease while the threat of death was on the table probably seemed like child's play to him by now.

It gave Dolos something to consider and they remained silent for some time, and Garrett imagined little golden cogs slowly turning in their head as they reflected on Aro’s words.

“You cannot know if I speak the truth until you take us to her. If Bianca is unhappy upon seeing our arrival you are welcome to make good on your threat.” So confident in his bargaining that the arrogance radiated from him and a purr rolled through his words. If Garrett didn’t find it a little bit impressive and a lot exciting to see Aro so unruffled in the face of imminent danger…

The words ‘hot under the collar’ came to mind and loomed at the forefront as a very inappropriate distraction.

Dolos appeared unimpressed and expressed this with a roll of their eyes, huffing out a sigh as their hands came to rest on their hips. There was something expectant in their stance and Garrett had to concentrate on pushing aside all adoring thoughts of his mate to think clearly. 

“You want something from us to ensure our loyalty, isn’t that right?” It was Aro who spoke, and when Garrett looked back to him there was a slight smile curving at the corner of his lips his eyes on Dolos, though the smile was not truly directed at the God.

“What can we give you, we have nothing that a God could possibly want. There’s nothing you can take from us that would hinder us in any way.” Garrett’s pacing had ceased as he demanded an answer from the God.

“Well, I am so glad that you brought that up. You see,” Dolos paused a grin splitting their face and the dagger-sharp pointed teeth came into view again. Garrett genuinely hoped the teeth were just for effect, to frighten or intimidate and not to tear flesh from bone. “You have something that really you shouldn’t have being humans and all.”

Again, with the casual tone that set Garrett on edge. This was all just a game to them, their power was so far-reaching that they might as well have been a child with a magnifying glass because Garrett sure as Hell felt like an ant at that moment.

The glaring sun didn’t seem to shift an inch and was becoming unbearable as the temperature continued to rise. The land of the Gods sucked.

“We’ve already told you, we have nothing.” Garrett’s voice wavered ever so slightly when he remembered the dagger, but he did not retract his statement and instead waited to see what Dolos was going to say to them.

“You know truly know nothing of your kind. You who became immortals without ever knowing how such a sickness came into existence.” Dolos spat the words out with a sneer, their yellow eyes taking in the trio with unbridled disgust. They were just vermin to them nothing but a more durable plaything to toss aside later when they grew tired.

“Vampires first came into being in Greece through a quagmire of blessings and curses that were thrown at a young man from Italy. Truly a series of unfortunate happenings. However, I am not here to give you a history lesson, I am here to take away that which makes you immortal.” Extremely sinister the way they had put such an act that sounded like Dolos intended to kill them, though it was unlikely, there would be no point in this chatter with the God if they had intended to off the three of them from the beginning.

The encounter just seemed to get stranger and stranger. 

“To ensure your cooperation, I am going to make you human.” A cry of outrage cut short anything further Dolos had planned to say. All eyes were now on Kate after her outburst, her anger palpable and sparks crackled and popped over her skin as the electric current danced around her in violent arcs.

“No. Not happening, I am not letting you make us walk into a place full of vampires and Gods and not have a single thing to protect us.” Kate argued.

“I would protect you.” Came Dolos’ bland reply which only angered Kate further and an arc of lightning struck the ground mere inches from the God’s feet.

“Are you listening to yourself, the more you speak the less I trust you. There is no way I am walking in there without some way to protect myself and my friends. I’ll fry you if I have to.” Both Garrett and Aro surge forward toward Kate, mindful of the electrical current running over her skin and barred her view of the God.

Dolos shrugged and with a simple hand gesture did something and the effects were immediate. Garrett sagged a bit instantly feeling the burning of the sun beating down harshly on his now human skin, gone was the protection of his vampire abilities- he was human again.

With human needs and inconveniences. The thirst was the next thing to truly hit after the baking of the sun and, Gods, it was awful. Truly awful. The muscle memory of his human life kicked in almost immediately and he tried to wet his lips but he was so desperate for water that it made no difference.

Beside him, Aro looked horribly uncomfortable in his all-black attire and with haste he shrugged off the cloak that had been around his shoulders. His eyes were… they were a beautiful golden brown and his skin was not so deathly pale. Garrett stood stunned for a moment taking in the sight of his mate in a truly human form. Vampirism took away a person’s humanity and over the years it would become more and more difficult to remember how a person looked in their mortal years- but he truly had no idea just how much of a person immortality took.

The man at his side seemed so soft and kind, even then when he was so unhappy with the predicament they were in, his eyes squinting from the sun and his brow creased in a frown... he looked gentle.

Drawing himself from the mesmerising picture that was his human mate, Garrett glanced over his shoulder and to his surprise, Kate’s golden gaze looked back and she was horrified. Her rage barely concealed beneath the surface as she took in Garrett in his mortal form.

“Well, the least you could say is thank you, I left you with protection and still got what I wanted as a bargaining chip. As I said, if Bianca is unhappy to see you then you’re all as good as dead.” Dolos spoke louder than before trying to direct the attention back to them and sounding very put out that it hadn’t worked.

Garrett and Aro were now face to face, their hands reaching out to meet the other’s and when their hands touched they let out a gasp almost in unison at the sensation that passed through them.

It was something akin to a shudder of excitement only tenfold.

The bond was still strong.

“We must find Sulpicia. When she sees your threads are now red you will have even less time to get to Bianca.” Kate had calmed down considerably and it was likely thanks to the fact the three of them were outright ignoring Dolos as they tried to formulate a plan.

Realising that they weren’t going to get anywhere being the way they were, Dolos approached the three with their shoulders slightly drooping.

“Fine, I’ll take you to the fates. My threat still stands, however, not that you seem to care all that much.” The game was over for them as soon as they realised that the trio truly had come to rescue Bianca from whatever danger she was in.

There was no fun teasing the truly heroic.

“You are too kind to offer your help to us. We thank you with all that we are that you wish to assist us in what could be a truly perilous rescue mission.” Even Aro’s voice sounded different- it was music to Garrett’s ears and each time his mate spoke he felt his heart pound and a flush rose to his cheeks for the first time in hundreds of years!

Everything that was happening was overloading his senses and it was absolutely all Aro’s fault.

If they made it out alive he wasn’t sure he wanted to regain his vampiric abilities.


	42. Chapter 42

##  Chapter Forty Two

_ If you were church, I'd get on my knees _

_ Confess my love, I'd know where to be _

_ My sanctuary, you're holy to me _

_ If you were church, I'd get on my knees _

_ I'd get on my knees _

Oh, walking. 

It was much slower going without the gift of vampiric speed and Garrett was already suffering under the sun but walking down the hill in leather boots made it ten times worse. 

He'd already discarded himself of his jacket and it now hung forlornly on the fence post of another property to be left for the rest of eternity. Probably.

Groaning, he stopped and leaned against the closest thing, which happened to be a pale blue picket fence- the garden beyond grew an array of blooms but mostly daffodils and a myriad of different types of hyacinths. 

It was pretty but nothing as spectacular as the house Aro and Kate had assumed was Aphrodite’s earlier. Kate was at his side now biting her lip holding back from asking for the twentieth time if he was ok. 

He was and he was not, but there wasn’t anything to be done about it. As much as he wanted to sit somewhere shaded and drink a gallon of ice water they had to press on toward Bianca and Sulpicia. 

The sooner it was all over, the sooner he could either succumb to sunstroke or lie down and sleep for a week on a bed of ice cubes. Reaching out he lay a hand to Kate’s cheek and sighed at the coolness of it. 

She was an ice pack for the both of them, alternating between him and Aro. Garrett had left Kate with Aro for longer than they had agreed simply because the older man needed it more than him. 

Being so suddenly human was damn hard. 

Movement at his periphery caused him to turn his head toward the lavish home behind the blue picket fence. The whole place seemed far more open and welcoming than the ornate and romantic mansion from earlier. 

Someone had been stood at the window! He was so sure his eyes had not deceived him. 

Garrett had barely caught sight of them but their face had stared out at the group for a few seconds and he leaned over the fence to get a better look. They were gone now, no trace left of them to prove he'd ever seen someone inside. 

If no one else had caught it than that was it. 

Kate had already returned to Aro's side further ahead, she was clearly checking up on the older man. Aro didn't really seem to mind all the fussing and took it all in his stride and with copious amounts of grace. 

Someone came to rest at his side. It was Dolos, they leaned against the fence with their back to the house. 

"Saw Apollo, huh?" The way they said it seemed so resigned as though this was a normal occurrence and when Garrett nodded Dolos tilted their head back their eyes moving to stare up at the bright sky above before speaking again. "Lucky you, must be a prize for sighting the God for the first time in maybe… Millenia?" 

"They don't ever leave that place?" Garrett was scanning the face of the house. It looked so well kept but that was probably magic. 

"Nope. Not a fan of visitors either." He had no idea why Dolos was telling him this other than to perhaps gain his trust by offering knowledge. 

Not that Garrett really cared about the Gods beyond Dolos and that was only because they were helping him. 

"Hey, could you turn the heat down on the sun?" Garrett changed the subject and Dolos just let loose a laugh bright and unrestrained. But when the temperature dropped the laughter stopped. Dolos near threw themselves from the fence as they turned to face the house.

"Huh… he must have heard you." Garrett didn't miss the fact they seemed unnerved by that regardless of how casual they had tried to sound. 

"Well, thanks. I hope he heard that too then." He pushed himself from the fence and started walking again, Kate and Aro had stopped further ahead and were now stood waiting for him to catch up. 

"What happened?" Aro asks and Garrett steeled himself as his heart thumped hard in his chest. He wasn't used to human Aro yet. Soft and beautiful, warmth radiating from every inch of him. "Are you alright?" 

What about Aro that entranced him so Garrett truly had no clue. The timbre of his voice had changed and now there was something deeper and more soulful about it. 

It was beautiful. 

Kate snickered beside Aro her eyes sparkling with amusement when her gaze met Garrett's and he felt a flush crawl up his neck to his cheeks embarrassed that he had been so easily read. 

There was no denying how alluring Garrett found his mate but in his human form, it was so much worse. Almost unbearable to the point his breath would catch in his throat and he'd forget to breathe. 

"I can hear his heart thudding from over here. Aro, be careful, he's pretty enamoured with your human self." Kate supplied being ridiculously unhelpful but Aro didn't respond instead he reached out for Garrett's hand.

"Turning you two into humans was the stupidest idea I've ever had. Stop looking at each other and get moving." Dolos pushed past Garrett which got him moving and he stepped forward taking Aro's outstretched hand. 

"Are they always like this?" The question was directed at Kate who nodded in response and they both shared a laugh as though they'd been friends for years. 

At least Dolos no longer seemed a threat, in fact, they seemed kind of happy to just have the company. If this was truly the state of Olympus it must have been a lonely place to wander alone. 

When they reached the city at the bottom of the hill it was as empty as Garrett had expected. As they wandered he realised with unease that there were no animals either… no birds in the square as they crossed the unsullied flagstones that gleamed under a bright but less intensely hot sun. There were no dogs or cats, no rats or insects. 

It was so devoid of life that it unnerved Garrett, to say the least. 

No one said anything as they left the square and followed Dolos through a myriad of tiny back alleys turning this way and that like a labyrinth. 

Each turn just as sharp as the last, the alleyways so small they had to form a line behind Dolos filing through the streets as quickly and quietly as they could. 

Each footstep that echoed through the empty city grated on Garrett's nerves even though he knew the noise was from himself and Aro. It felt… dangerous to make even the smallest sound. 

Were they right to trust Dolos? Could they be walking into a trap?

There was no way of knowing and Garrett knew he had to either trust them outright or break away from them as soon as possible. What good it would do for him to turn tail and run from Dolos… how could he go against a God on their home turf? 

But Dolos really hadn’t done anything to make the three of them distrust them, well, aside from making him and Aro human. Not that they had been given much of a chance to fight them on that. If he was being honest with himself, and it took some doing to actually admit it even internally, he was trying very hard to find an issue with being human. 

Brushing aside feeling hunger and thirst for the first time in a long time, Garrett revelled in being human again even if his reasons were selfish and a little bit horny. No one had to know that except that Kate had noticed right away and it made Garrett think that maybe, just maybe, he needed to work on his facial expressions again now that he wasn’t essentially a moving marble statue. 

_ Focus Garrett  _

Not that he really wanted to admit it again… but Dolos had not given them any reason not to trust them, not that they could really fight with them if they did betray the three of them for whatever reason.

His only defence now was Kate and she couldn’t protect both he and Aro, fight off a God and anything Sulpicia threw at them. 

They really had been offered a raw deal, and they were forced to accept it against their will, Garrett was at his very least threatening when in this form. 

Suplicia would take one look at him and squash him like an ant. That’s it, lights out for him. At least Aro would be safe. Sulpicia would protect him… 

All thoughts were drawn from him suddenly when he walked right into a stone pillar that actually turned out to be Kate. He had walked right into the back of her unaware of his surroundings. 

Did… did all vampires feel like that to humans? 

How odd. 

“Why are we stopping?” Garrett looked around Kate and found only a large deserted square like many they had stepped across that day. It was unassuming and dusty, not so pristine as the rest of the city. 

When he gazed out past the pillars and beyond the square there lay nothing beyond. A dry and dusty wasteland greeted him and it felt like they were stood at the edge of the world.

“We’re in the right place,” Are began, but voice giving away quite clearly that he really didn’t believe that, “Apparently.” When the elder man shifted on his feet to face him, Garret saw how exhausted Aro looked and guilt slid down his throat with any smart retort that had been on his tongue and settled as ice in his stomach. 

Garrett pointedly ignored Dolos, a ridiculous sense of pride held him back from asking the God for information, he was being petty and he knew, instead, he used the silence to scan the square properly. This time he easily picked out the odd object sat innocently in the centre and frowned.

An ancient-looking spinning wheel, it had definitely seen better days, sat looking so very out of place there before the group. It might have been just another oddity if Garrett hadn’t recalled the last time he had seen one. 

It was a shining beacon of hope and the start of one of the most dangerous rescue missions he had ever been apart of. 

“We are in the right place, I can absolutely guarantee you that- look!” He threw out a hand and pointed at the old machine. 

“Finally you prove that there is something in that head of yours!” Dolos crowed almost cruelly but they were ignored as Kate, Aro and Garrett turned to look at the spinning wheel. Kate looked confused but Aro realised after a moment just what the machine meant and he let out a soft gasp of disbelief. 

“You really brought us to her. You understand why we would doubt you, surely but… you really brought us to her!” Aro’s voice a tremor to it. Something like joy intermingled with fear, he was definitely scared but eager to have this end. 

Gods, Garrett absolutely understood that and felt the same way. 

“Uuuh, well, she’s my sister and as much as I believe she is an idiot, I can’t leave her in danger. You all seem to believe she is in a lot of trouble…

If she’s in danger and it’s my own family putting her there, regardless of how I need to be there to mediate. Plus, that glittery woman definitely seemed like trouble. I didn’t like that hungry look in her eyes- she’s a wolf what will she devour to be at the top of the food chain?” The walk there must have given Dolos time to think things through, what they had said filled Garrett with dread because he knew what Sulpicia was capable of. There was no denying that the woman would not stop until she had what she wanted and if they were unable to stop her… if she succeeded in this endeavour would she push for more? 

“We want Bianca to be safe because we love her. If anything happened to her because of your sisters and your inaction… I know I can’t do anything but she can.” Garrett gestured to Kate who had been silent for quite some time, she only nodded at Dolos to confirm Garrett’s somewhat tame threat.

“I assure you that I understand perfectly. You have nothing to fear.” Aro scoffed at Dolos’ words as soon as he heard them but did not dispute them. When Garrett moved to find Aro the elder man had turned his attention back to the spinning wheel. 

“This means we’re in the right place so… how do we get in?”


	43. Chapter 43

##  Chapter Forty Three

_ In such disbelief _

_ I thought I was asleep when I met you _

_ my heart liquefied and I sighed _

_ Oh, this must be a dream _

  
  


For a moment it was just the four of them all stood around the spinning wheel, each of them growing more perplexed as the seconds went by.

It seemed none of them wished to admit that they had no idea what the purpose of the machine was. Even Dolos was quiet on the subject only staring down at it with dull and empty eyes as though bored by the whole situation. It didn’t bode well that they, so far, remained silent and disinterested. 

"Any ideas, anyone?" Kate broke the silence with a voice rough with irritation at their inaction given the situation. 

As the seconds ticked by and no one offered a response she grew further upset and it showed visibly on her pale features with a furrowed brow and narrowed eyes. 

"Hey, Katie, it's going to be ok." Garrett soothed. Deep down he was just as angry and terrified that they wasted too much time trying to work this out. 

Surely Dolos had to know how to get in?!

Was this the part where they were betrayed by the trickster God? 

The three of them looked to Dolos expectantly. If they didn’t know how to get in the whole quest was pretty much done, Garrett would have to say goodbye to Aro before he forgot him forever. 

This could not be how it ended. 

“Oh, right,” Dolos perked up suddenly, their eyes less empty and now seemed full of focus and life where there had been none before. Whatever they had been doing to leave them in such an indifferent state only heaped further concern onto Garrett’s shoulders and the weight seemed unbearable now. “I was sifting through my memories for a way in. I apologise, it can take some time due to how many memories I actually have. That and I genuinely don’t visit my family as much as I likely should but if you know our mythos you can hazard a guess why…” When their statement was met with silence Dolos merely shrugged. It didn’t seem to bother them that no one had a comment and so they continued. 

“The door won’t appear until you offer the wheel something.” When the focus of the group moved back to the spinning wheel the spindle glinted dangerously and Garrett suppressed the urge to take a step back to distance himself from the machine. 

Inanimate objects with power that gave the impression they could be sentient gave Garrett the creeps. 

“Let me make an obvious assumption, and you’ve no need to tell me I’m right, I know I am. We must offer something of worth to the wheel and that would be blood, yes?” Aro didn’t sound smug, he didn’t even smile when Dolos nodded to confirm he was right. Everything had been so unnecessarily drawn out and that had definitely taken its toll on Aro mentally and emotionally. 

“I need you to be extremely transparent when I ask you how do we give it the blood?” Garrett speaks slowly and clearly so that there is no miscommunication. He bristled at the idea that only he or Aro were capable of giving the key to unlocking the magic of the door. 

If they do as Dolos tells them and they are granted access, there was no way to tell how quickly they may be attacked. 

If they were attacked at all.

Sulpicia had every opportunity to end everything before they had even arrived and yet nothing had happened. Her silence had lulled them into a false sense of security and Garrett was sure at some point through this ridiculous escapade each one of them had believed they could win this.

The conclusion was just out of reach but close enough that he could feel the tension of the room before it had even materialised, whoever awaited them was primed for a fight. 

A fight none of them on the outside were prepared for.

The God shifted from foot to foot, their pointed toe boots covered in dust as it was kicked up in little clouds the more they moved around. They looked dishevelled, their hair in disarray as though a hand had run through more than once that day. 

The more Garrett studied them the more he could see just how unkempt the God was. A strange feeling dawned on him and try as he might to quash it before it bloomed into a more genuine emotion the more his chest constricted and the tightness was alarming. 

Dolos didn’t have anyone that cared for them. 

They were alone here.

His study of the God ended when they spoke looking directly at Garrett to assure him they were well aware he had been staring at them, but there was no knowing smile with daggers gleaming between pinks lips as they spoke. 

It was a silent confirmation that Garrett had been right. 

“Just do as Sleeping Beauty did… what? I’ve read your mortal books.” A pout was starting to form as the three of them tittered out a quiet laugh at the God’s admittance of having read fairy tales. 

“Someone needs to stab their finger on that thing then?” Kate gestured to the spindle with a nod of her head with an expression of grim disbelief. 

“Basically.” It was a simple response from Dolos and for that Garrett was grateful. 

"It will have to be one of us?" Garrett gestured to himself and Aro but he already knew the answer. Mortal blood seemed to be in such high demand no matter who or what you were. "I'll do it, just tell me what to do." The group parted silently and Garrett approached the rickety-looking machine and lifted his hand to the, surprisingly, bright and clean spindle. 

"Is it supposed to be this sharp?" 

"How am I supposed to know? I don't spin wool." Dolos snapped. They were tense, perhaps worried or even scared of what was about to happen. 

This place might have been welcoming to them once upon a time. A space to feel safe and loved by the three sisters that had lived there together. This would tarnish those memories of they were even real. 

"Just… stab your finger on it and let one drop of blood for each of us run down the wood. It will gain us admittance and we can do whatever it is that we're supposed to be doing." The sense of urgency had returned but Garrett hadn’t expected it from Dolos of all people. Kate was already antsy enough as it was and she had begun to pace distractedly.

Out of everyone, Aro seemed to be the stillest and the calmest. Garrett turned his head to look back at him and reached an arm back his hand outstretched with fingers spread wide hoping that the gesture was noticed, he hoped Aro would see him because from where he stood it looked like the man saw nothing but memories in his own head. 

“I see you,” Aro’s voice was very much present and not half as distant as Garrett had expected it to be what with the far off look in his eyes. “But Dolos, I have a question for you, if you’ve entered this abode once or perhaps even twice before, surely your blood would suffice?” 

Now there was a thought. 

Why couldn’t Dolos get them inside? 

“One too many uninvited guests make for a rather unruly party. After awhile you must take certain measures to keep some of us out.” Dolos was a ‘someone’ the three sisters no longer wished to see. 

Garrett didn’t question Dolos the way Aro had and he also did not give the God a chance to respond further as he looked back at the spindle. Within seconds his blood dripped freely over the wood, it was more than the necessary four drops but after a couple of hundred years of not bleeding it wasn’t exactly easy to control such a thing. 

Eventually, Kate had to come help him and she stemmed the flow with the hem of her t-shirt. No words passed between them but she did give him an incredulous look at how pathetic he was as a human. Garrett only nodded his agreement on this and a smile was shared before they sprang apart as the earth beneath their feet began to shake and rumble. 

The dusty flagstones of the square cracked open neatly and a large stone arch rose from the dirt, growing ever taller as the minutes ticked by. The floor rumbled as the arch loomed above them at least 9 feet tall. Fresh earth clung to some of the stone that glistened under the scorching sun and for the first time since they had arrived Garrett saw other living creatures as beetles skittered across the stones after being scattered by the movement of the arch way, they careened into one another in a bid to find a dark and damp hole to hide away in again. 

The distance sound of bird song was near enchanting after the silence they had endured for the majority of their foray into the land of the Gods. Wherever the sound came from Garrett wished to be there than where he stood right then. 

“I don’t miss this,” Dolos muttered under their breath, they eyed the arch wearily as a clean and polished set of wooden double doors materialised from nothing, black studs dotted the outer edges of the doors matching the colour of two very solid looking door knockers that hung almost ominously at Garrett’s eye level. 

He was face to face with a roaring lion design, its matte black eyes somehow blazed with anger and he felt almost intimidated until realising how ridiculous that would have sounded if said out loud. 

“What now? We just knock and hope someone answers?” Garrett snarked. 

“Are you expecting a butler?” Aro shot back but it lacked some of the humour the older man had probably tried for. 

The snarky response that was poised to trip from his tongue was swallowed promptly as the doors slowly creaked open to reveal a bright and vibrant garden, beyond stood a simple two-story house white plastered walls and grey wooden shutters at the windows. 

It was… cute. 

All beauty was lost on the group when the familiar face of Santino appeared at the door of the house. When he spotted them he moved from the doorway and onto the path that led down through the garden to the double doors straight toward them. 

His gait slow and natural with a casual air about him as he almost sauntered down the path. This was a man who had no fear in regards to his surroundings- it was a foolish behaviour and one that would likely cause his end. 

Just as Garrett took a step forward to meet the man halfway a hand, almost vice-like, gripped his shoulder and he was wrenched backwards. Kate now stood between him and Santino and a guttural snarl sprang forth from her lips halting Santino mere metres away from them. 

Did all vampires sound like that? Did human ears hear growls and snarls as though they were beasts when Kate had probably only huffed out an unimpressed breath at the sight of the enemy? 

“No need to be on the full offensive. I am here to meet and greet, to show you to your gracious hosts.” The smug aura that radiated from Santino left Garrett feeling grimy as though a thin film of grease had manifest over his skin at the very sound of the words uttered from the vampire’s mouth. 

Someone shuddered beside him he didn’t have to look to know it was his mate. They bumped shoulders as the older man stood beside him. Aro too had a look of distaste on his face as he gave Santino a once over grimacing like he may be sick but the ego in his behaviour hid fear because for the first time in thousands of years Aro’s position in the Volturi was the lowest.

He was an enemy to the most powerful vampire family in the world. Even if he had Sulpicia’s good graces that could vouch for him, Aro was trapped in the limbo of being desired and reviled in one breath by the very person who could save him. 

“Forgive us for not being so overly trusting of you, Santino. I am sure you understand why.” For a moment Aro was his old self again, without hesitation he moved gracefully from Garrett’s side to follow the vampire who could only shrug at the response before turning to lead them back toward the house. 

Hanging back for a second Garrett collared Kate and drew her to his side, Dolos did not move from their spot beside the doors but their sights remained on Aro. It seemed they were not the only one that was distrusting of those that now occupied the house. 

“Whatever happens in there promise me you’ll protect Aro and if I forget him,” Garrett felt his voice falter and he blinked up at Kate as his shoulders sagged and he tried valiantly to regain the composure he’d had not moments ago. “Don’t let him see me forget him, ok?” Feeling vulnerable and mortified that Kate had seen him in such a way he darted off toward Dolos who, only when Garrett appeared at their side, moved into action and hurried both Kate and Garrett inside to catch up with the other two ahead of them. 

“She wants this to be a spectacle, doesn’t she?” Dolos’ assumption was grim but entirely correct. Sulpicia wanted an audience and so she’d gathered those on her side to garner sympathy, perhaps? 

Soon she would have what she wanted.

The performance was about to begin. 


	44. Chapter 44

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One last chapter after this and I'm done. The story would have been told and I will feel content.   
> I'm going in for surgery and I don't know how long it will take me to be able to type again. 
> 
> Wish me luck and thank you for continuing to read this. 
> 
> Please, if you're willing, leave a comment. :)

##  Chapter Forty Four

_ This heart of mine is just some sort of map _

_ That doesn't care at all or worry about where the hell you're at _

_ But you're right there _

When Garrett stepped through the door it slammed behind him with such finality the frame shuddered with the force and it only served to give him a chill that slithered uncomfortably down his spine. Picking up his pace he followed Dolos closely, their slow and cautious gait concerned him and put further doubt in his mind of him ever managing to leave the place alive.

If a God tread lightly in the halls of these women what hope did he have, a mere human, in the presence of those that could turn your world upside down or cut it short in an instant?

With quiet exhale he turned his attention to the house itself.

The modest exterior was a front, a pristine and perfect facade hiding the true wealth of the three sisters inside behind quaint and picturesque. Golden idols of unnamed creatures glittered under flickering candlelight, exquisite tapestries spanned the length of the hallway depicting the trials of love and war with colour so bold it dazzled Garrett’s mortal eyes.

Inside seemed far bigger than it had appeared from the outside, but of course, in the land of the Gods, nothing had to make sense.

They passed countless closed doors, bright shining handles with keyholes as dark as voids hiding untold secrets within the depths that lay beyond. Garrett couldn't hear anything from the other side of those doors, he could hear nought else but his own footsteps on the dark wooden floor as he trudged after Dolos. He was thankful that Kate followed Aro keeping him close, she took his safety seriously, but when he looked around Dolos to check on the other two, Aro glanced back their eyes meeting and the rush of need-! The urge to shove the God in front of him aside became a desperate and screeching siren in his mind.

The older man twisted round slightly reaching out to Garrett who slid past the God to take the proffered hand. As soon as they made contact Garrett felt his entire being relax, and the dread that had threatened to rise like acidic bile in his throat receded. It left a shaken Garrett behind who found himself wholly disturbed by the moment. 

But, at least they were walking to their doom together. Hand in hand to meet their maker, and after all the fighting and panic nothing had happened to lead up to this moment. All the fear that Sulpicia had instilled within them that she could destroy them without warning seemed a pale threat. The entire time they had built up this awful tension between themselves and Aro's wife only to have nothing happen.

It didn't seem right. In all honesty, it seemed pretty anticlimactic, but if they met her now and they resolved this through conversation Garrett would truly thank whatever Gods had intervened. That would be too easy, of course, Sulpicia did not want to talk, not now. Garrett had ruined whatever chances they had had of that when he, essentially, betrayed her by running off with Aro the first chance he got!

If they could avoid blood being spilled, namely his and Aro's, it would be a turn out for the books but he was being entirely optimistic and wildly out of character with it.

"Kate told me what you asked of her," Aro whispered suddenly, it drew Garrett from his thoughts and he had the decency to look apologetic. As he opened his mouth to explain himself Aro shook his head and squeezed his hand tightly a physical plea for Garrett to remain silent.

"Thank you, even though it would be futile because I'd know… the fact you wished to try and save me from that pain," he paused closing his eyes for a moment clearly fighting for composure. "It gives me something to hold on to. Something that reminds me that I know you love me and no matter what happens when we see Sulpicia and what is said I know that you truly care."

If someone had told him that he'd be walking hand in hand with the man that tried to destroy the Cullen family, the one who was so power-hungry he killed his own sister, a man who now professed he was afraid, in not so many words, of losing him, Garrett would have punched that person in the face. A sucker punch right in the jaw something that would level a man.

Looking at Aro now he could barely recall the maniacal vampiric leader that had invited him into his home with the intent on keeping Garrett as a superweapon.

That man was long gone. Whatever it was that had changed Aro, Garrett had no idea, he wasn't going to assume that he'd had all that much to do with it and perhaps it was more fates doing more than anything else.

“They wait for you inside.” Santino had stopped at another set of double doors and as he pushed them open Garrett and Aro saw Sulpicia for the first time in what felt like years. At her side stood Bianca and two other women bearing a similar resemblance to their friend.

Kate threw out an arm to stop Garrett from rushing forward toward Bianca, it was like being smacked in the chest with a stone column but he bit his tongue and refrained from complaining because ultimately she had tasked herself with protecting him and Aro.

The last thing he wanted to do was run headfirst into trouble and have her try and rescue him because he couldn’t think rationally. This shouldn’t have been so hard for him, the cool head on his shoulders was nowhere to be seen just when he needed it most.

Rather than argue with Kate he decided to instead direct his ire at Sulpicia, but she paid him no attention, he did not exist to her which for now was perfectly fine with him. Her attention was on Aro with an expression so impossibly sad to the point of distraught at the very sight of her husband.

“I knew the truth before I saw you, my love. The thread that had you bound so strong for eternity deepened to a bloody hue and my heart hurts.” oh, right. Of course, she'd know he was human again what with her being at fate HQ and all!

When she stepped toward Aro, her arms open to embrace him, Garrett felt a barely uncontrollable spike of jealousy crash through him. It felt like a gaping wound in his chest, and a nauseating feeling that bloomed through him like blood seeping through the fabric.

When Aro refused her embrace it didn't make Garrett feel any better. In fact, he felt sorry for her because after all this time she still clung to hope that her husband would return to her. Even after everything that had happened, everything that she had seen and heard of them both.

When Sulpicia tipped her head back to laugh at Aro there was no humour in the sound as it flew past her lips echoing around the room. It was a tired and breathless laugh that spoke more of agony and anger.

“Again you refuse me, my husband.” The statement was left hanging in the air and the room felt tense for it. Garrett looked away from the scene and his eyes fell to Bianca who looked almost desperate to catch his attention and smiled broadly when she managed.

She seemed unharmed if not slightly dishevelled as though they had tried to rough her up again but had been unable to for whatever reason. Garrett worried his bottom lip between his teeth frowning at their predicament, and again she grinned at Garrett from across the room her face almost obscured by two rather beefy vampires stood in front of her with the intention of guarding the fate.

If anything, it really just looked like Bianca was letting them think they were holding her back. Garrett recalled vividly the image of her blank expression as she sliced through Demetri’s stomach without hesitation, his blood splattering over her white dress. They weren’t holding her back but he did wonder how they had managed to beat her up the first time… unless it was all an act to put these events in motion.

Was Bianca that wily?

Is that where Dolos got it from?

Was there more to this than she had ever let on?

Rubbing a hand over his face Garrett realised for the first time that day that the irritation he felt right down to his bones was fatigue. He was tired and wanted to close his eyes but instead, he stood before a woman that held his life in her hands as she purred her way through the rush of poetic words to sweeten her husband and coax him back to her side.

This didn’t feel like winning but it sure as Hell was not the feeling of losing either. It was all pointless in his eyes, the attempt to regain the love she and Aro had once captured in each other’s hearts.

“Please, with the greatest respect, Sulpicia, I am asking you to stop this,” Aro spoke quietly as he interrupted her. He was well aware that she would have heard him without issue and so he made no attempt to raise the volume of his voice.

There was not even the smallest hint in his voice that he was afraid, and perhaps he was not, but he did look tired. This was a man who had aged in the space of a few hours. Every line that time had erased in his vampiric lifetime had slowly reappeared leaving him looking more his age than ever before.

40 was by no means old to a mortal. Practically infancy to an immortal but Garrett could see his age had truly settled in him and his mate looked exhausted.

"How far will this go until you are satisfied?" Aro asked. "You have us where you want us now what?"

Watching Aro standoff against his wife was not as satisfying as Garrett believed it would be but it also wasn't scary.

This was just a normal couple breaking up if it was simplified. Just two people in the same situation that Garrett had seen countless times in his life with countless couples.

One always wanted more than the other. One always wanted things to remain the same while the other wanted to be cut free and find something more or something less.

"You know what she wants to do." Kate snapped. Her words were harsh and cold but her eyes were dark with hot anger that seemed almost molten inside her. "She wants to keep you as her prisoner like an exotic toy. This isn't loving, this is possession." The words were spat out with such force that it truly concerned Garrett.

Moving slowly as not to draw too much attention to himself he placed a hand on Kate's shoulder and gently tried to guide her away from Sulpicia's eye line. It would do no good for her to get hurt because of them.

"He's mine," Sulpicia cried out the obvious sound of a pout in her words, a petulant child on the verge of angry tears because she wasn't getting what she wanted. "He has been for thousands of years and you think you can just waltz in and pluck him from my arms as though he had never belonged there in the first place?!"

They had been happy before he had fallen into their lives, tossed there by the hands of fate and leaving so many lives in disarray. 

She was right.

And he hated that she was right.

"I tire of this conversation and it's circles. I will have what I want." The room plunged into darkness for a split second and Garrett leapt toward Aro and pulled him backwards until his back met with something hard and he felt strong hands grasp at his forearms squeezing tight.

"I have you," Kate whispered which in turn only caused Garrett to embrace Aro tighter keeping the older man's back to his chest his face buried in his hair.

When the light flickered back into the room once more they were somewhere else completely. But Garrett recognised the thousands of strings around them red bled into red towering above them in a tapestry of mortality.

"Now, anything you'd like to tell my husband before you forget him for good?" Sulpicia stood by an odd-looking table that was set up like a rack one would once be tortured on in the middle ages. Instead of manacles, it had a simple loom with one long red string threaded across it.

Giving it a gentle pluck Sulpicia smirked when Garrett felt nausea rise in his throat and he convulsed throwing Aro from his embrace. When he finally righted himself he realised that the only thing that had kept him on his feet was Kate's vice-like grip that nearly crushed his bones.

Upon realising this she released him and pat his back in apology.

Sulpicia merely stood surveying her handy work, for a second her gaze flicked to Aro and something akin to desperation crossed her features.

Had she done this for him?

Once upon a time, Garrett supposed Aro would have crowed with delight at such a thing but now it drew not even a whisper of a satisfied sigh from his lips.

Being able to now focus Garrett took in the scene before him.

One of the fates was at Sulpicia's side now. They held a gleaming pair of shears held in one hand poised and ready to snip his memory out of existence.

Bianca looked grim from behind her bodyguards but she was staring intently at Dolos who had been suspiciously quiet for the duration of the meeting. They slowly edged around the room ensuring no one paid them the slightest bit of attention as they came to stand by Garrett's side half-hidden shadow as the candlelight struggled to illuminate the room fully.

The corners were dark like an abyss.

"Well, now seems a better time than any to declare anything you like to my darling, you won't remember anything. Give us something to remember, give us something to recall and laugh at in years to come."

How cruel she was.

"Sulpicia, please!" Garrett didn't care that he was begging now. The idea of losing Aro destroyed him.

Yet there she was with fate at her side ready to cut the thread that connected him to his mate. 

"Please, don't take him from me. I know… god I know I have no right to ask this of you but please. I can't be without him!"

Sulpicia looked truly disgusted by his behaviour, but there had been a flicker of something more in that expression. A flash of sympathy or empathy in her eyes there one second and gone the next.

There was no doubt in his mind that she was second-guessing her decision. The Fate at her side only looked confused by her sudden inaction. The height at which Sulpicia held herself at lowered and her shoulders drooped.

"For a long time, I believed you were doing this to spite me. I had belittled you and even struck you across the face and this was my punishment because I'd made you feel small.

I was wrong, wasn't I?

You are not begging to be saved from my wrath. You're begging for him to be protected. It would hurt him more for you to forget him than the other way around.

Am I right?"

Of course, it would hurt Aro more!

Garrett couldn't bring himself to explain why. Sulpicia didn't need any more ammunition to hate him and his words would only exacerbate the situation.

If Aro forgot him that would be it. There wasn't anything else to it. There was no power in the world strong enough that could help him change that.

"Should you make it that Aro forgot me I would have to accept it. I'm not going to lie and say it wouldn't hurt. I assume losing a soulmate feels like dying but there isn't the relief of drifting into the painless abyss of death." This was all he had and while clichéd as it was it was the truth that he spoke to her.

He had always spoken the truth to her even if it had put him in further danger. She was due that respect at least.

"If Aro forgot everything about you, including your name, you would give up?" Sulpicia pushed for his answer and it was only when he forced his gaze to meet hers that he saw unshed tears in her eyes.

"Of course. I would take great comfort in the fact that he'd not be alone even if I no longer existed to him. Aro would always have you to love him." Such agony this conversation was for him, she was truly drawing this out.

Was she doing this on purpose? One last sadistic twist before shutting him out of Aro's life for good?

"I don't understand you, Garrett. You would give him up that easily?"

“I’m not giving up!” He snapped energy renewed for a moment and he drew himself to his full height he no longer allowed her to cow him into something smaller than he was. “But I’m not an idiot, I know when to stop pushing. It isn’t giving up if you know you can’t win.

You've out moved me. I can see that I've run out of places to go, my pieces are just pawns and you are a queen that could wipe me out if you wanted. I'm outwitted and so I concede. No matter what I do now it won't change the outcome… just have him forget everything. Have him forget he ever met me, ever showed me everything about him that I have come to adore.

It is easier that way.

I suppose you’ve won.”


	45. Chapter 45

##  Chapter Forty Five 

_You pressed your mouth on mine and fed me a star_

_then said "we never can truly know who we are."_

_know who we are."_

A beat of silence as Sulpicia stared at Garrett with a look of incredulity. 

"What about what I want?" Both Garrett and Sulpicia turn to face Aro at the sound of his voice. The hush over the room was a held breath caught in collective throats and all eyes were on Aro.

Someone shifted beside Garrett jostling him a moment. It took a second to realise that it was Dolos sliding their hand into his pocket, the dagger that had originally belonged to Bianca was now in their possession. Garrett narrowed his eyes at the God who paid him no attention, their eyes entirely on Bianca who seemed to be trying her hardest to ignore their gaze in favour of the drama unfolding between the vampire and her human adversaries. 

“My love, I am doing everything I can to give you what it is you want.” Sulpicia broke the silence and swept forward her dress flowing out behind her as she moved with such speed to Aro’s side. She was nothing but a blur as she approached and when she stopped before her husband she was so impossibly still as though something carved from marble pure and cold. “I am doing all of this for you.” Cupping his face as she spoke, Sulpicia searched her husband’s eyes for something but when no knowledge seemed forthcoming her hands dropped to her sides.

“Throughout all of this Garrett has fought on your side, constantly bringing up how unjust it was what we had done to you. And while, I assure you, some of it was formed from guilt he never strayed from his choices. 

I said harsh things about you, things I regret but at the time seemed the only way to speak of you. Garrett held you in high esteem the entire time, always reminding me that we are the reason you are behaving in such a way but I believe now he was far too gracious.” It had come off sounding more like a tutor chiding a schoolchild the way Aro spoke to her. Somehow he managed to have her pain come across as immature and an inconvenience to him. However he wanted to spin it this didn’t seem the right way.

Yet, she seemed subdued; her head bowing and her hands coming together to wring out their shame.

Aro knew her, he knew how to quiet her dismay and her rage that was once the wild storm now a simpering breeze. This was the old Aro, the leader of the Volturi and Garrett hoped right down to his weary bones that this was more an act than it seemed. 

A play or ploy to lower Sulpicia’s guard enough that they could do… what? Escape? 

There was no escaping this, this was the end game of sorts, they had to battle it out and only one would emerge the victor in this madness and the one with the most power was who exactly? 

Again he was distracted as someone bumped his shoulder, again it was Dolos who slid past him as they did so Garrett saw the dagger slide into their pocket and with a flourishing bow they took centre stage leeching the attention from all that stood around the room. 

Their siblings rolled their eyes as though this was normal for them but still they stood and watched, no one interrupted as Dolos opened their mouth to speak. 

“Hey, not to break up what is probably the most entertainment I have seen in literal _years,_ but I believe I stuck to our end of the deal and brought you your toys sans powers. So... now you have to do as you said you would,” Dolos gestured to Bianca who blanched at their words and with a growl tried to reach through the ‘impenetrable’ wall of vampire that stood in her way, hands curled to look more like claws as she called out to them with all the names under the sun. 

Whatever language Bianca spoke to her sibling in was nothing Garrett had ever heard but he did see the hurt in Dolos’ eyes as she spat them out through a snarl. Even without a hint of education on their language, it was clear the word traitor had been uttered. 

Before more could be said; Sulpicia interrupted the family argument. 

“You did as I asked down to the very letter better than my own men in fact. I had planned on keeping her but she would not prove useful now.” The airiness in which she spoke was dry and forced as she struggled to regain any semblance of power that had been pulled from her with ease by her husband. 

With an audible huff and an elegant shrug, Sulpicia waved Bianca’s would-be guards away without a second thought. As she turned back to Aro, whatever words were on her tongue died as a bloodcurdling scream careened through the room followed by a sickeningly wet thud. 

Santino was dead. It took no small effort for Garrett to drag his eyes from the sight of the vampire bleeding out. This was not how vampires died but there was no time to process this as the room burst into chaos. Kate had pushed Garrett behind her before she zipped off to collect Aro and throw herself into the wild and gnashing fray of vampires and Gods. 

“What happened?!” Aro questioned, his voice so quiet in the din that Garrett almost missed it. 

What had happened was that Dolos had saved them, in a moment where all had seemed lost they had taken the dagger caused a distraction and once their sister had been released they’d thrown the dagger to her.

That was when Bianca showed her true ferocity, with the dagger in hand she slit the throat of the closest vampire and did not even take the time to ensure he had fallen and died before moving onto another. 

“They saved us, I think.” Garrett slung an arm around Aro’s shoulders and pulled him close, if they somehow did not make it through this he should, at least, be allowed one last moment with Aro to feel his warmth in his arms. “I love you, I love you, I-let me say it let me say as many times as I can before I can’t say it any more.” His lips pressed against Aro’s ear as he said the words over and over feeling the shiver that ran through his mate with each breath that pressed so hot in the shell of his ear. 

“Bianca, you must stop!” An unfamiliar voice cut through the noise with ease and all sound ceased again. “You have no idea the power you wield, sister, please. Before it kills you listen to me.” A wrecked and tired plea from a voice that sounded so young and yet so old that time itself could not determine the age of this one. 

This woman had been the one at Sulpicia’s side, but she was not alone and another stood with her. They both held expressions of urgency as Bianca approached them she stopped just out of reach of them wiping the bloodied dagger on her dress and ignoring the blood seeping into the delicate lace of her shoes as it pooled around her. 

That was their protector stood before her sisters. Garrett could not help but marvel at her calm. The dagger was clasped in one bloodied fist, her arms hung by her sides and she stared at both of them blankly for a moment before regaining a sense of awareness.

“What are you talking about?” She sounded chirpy and completely unencumbered by the fact she had slaughtered several vampires not moments ago. 

Nothing about her seemed different to Garrett. 

“When did you take that dagger, how can you throw it so wildly into flesh without knowing the repercussions?” 

“Eh… what?” Bianca took in her surroundings and when she caught Garrett’s eye they shared a shrug of confusion between them, meanwhile, Dolos stood behind their sisters eyeing the dagger warily. “Am I missing something here?”

“Other than a brain?” Dolos drawled. Bianca frowned but ignored them, her attention back on her sisters. 

“Each time you kill with the blade you lose your sight. Those hands once nimble and knowing cannot pull thread from a loom and entwine a destiny. You’ve thrown yourself away in a bid to save these people!” 

“I’m no longer a fate?”

“You hang on the precipice of mortal and fate.” Whichever sister this was had clearly once been close to Bianca because her expression was riddled with hurt as she reached out to her sister. “You have a choice to make. You turn the dagger on yourself and are reborn a fate again or you pass the blade to another.” 

“Why didn’t you ever tell me the power this thing had?!” Bianca’s grip on the dagger tightened as she brought it up from her side to inspect. 

From what Garrett could see it just looked like any other dagger, it was unassuming and that was why, perhaps, it had been so easy for Bianca to use it. While her victims were indeed unable to heal themselves there had never been a notion of any sort of repercussions to her actions. 

“We did not think you would slay so many to protect so few.” It was a dig, Garrett knew that much. They didn’t see Aro’s life or even his as anything worth keeping, and it brought a chill down his spine that they seemed to care so little to the story playing out. 

Then again, they had probably already seen this all play out before it happened. 

“In any case, would it have stopped you if you had known?” 

Her answer was almost immediate. 

“No, I don’t think it would have.” 

“Then you are left with a decision to make. Do you cut your ties with this life and this world or do you rejoin us here and live as you always have done?” It was a too big a decision to respond to now and Garrett assumed Bianca would need time, on the other hand, she likely would decide to remain as she was. 

A shiver ran unbidden down his spine, he realises Aro’s warmth is no longer at his side nestled into him and when he searches the room he finds the man helping Sulpicia to her feet. She seems grateful if not a bit chastened by all that had taken place, perhaps it was because the attention was no longer on her or that maybe having her husband still come to help her after all she had said and done… Garrett did not really wish to assume anything other than she was looking decidedly sorry for herself. 

While unscathed physically her ego was very much damaged. 

“I know you do not necessarily appreciate my opinion, however, I do have an idea that may solve your problem and help you make your decision.” Dolos was back to their usual self it seemed and apparently held no ill will toward their sister- which begged the question, had this all been a plan from the very beginning? 

How long had this all been in the works?

“Speak your idea, it is not often you are the voice of reason, Dolos.” The words dripped with sarcasm but Dolos brushed it off without a care and, once again, drew themselves up to be the centre of attention. 

They took great care drawing out whatever it was they had to say by preening for a short while clearly enjoying all eyes being on them. 

Awfully disrespectful to the dead that was littered about, their venom and blood drying out and too many footprints marred the once beautiful wood flooring. Even if they had technically been his opposition they hadn’t deserved to die and not in such a brutal manner. 

But if Bianca had not dispatched of them would it have been his and Aro’s blood that was spattered up the walls and decorating Bianca’s skin with dotted reminders of her bloodlust? 

It didn’t bear thinking about and another shiver slid down his spine the feeling leaving him on edge and now he wished Aro was by his side again. 

“Don’t you think we’ve dealt with you enough today?” Garrett croaked, his voice didn’t want to cooperate now but he had been heard. The quirk of Dolos’ lips said as much. “Get on with it, some of us don’t have the luxury of eternity anymore.” 

Someone laughed quietly from across the room, it was warm and so entirely familiar even though it had been the first time he had ever heard Aro laugh as a mortal man. The sound felt like a home he had been searching for all his life, a single candle in a window leading him from the dark. 

“I know you like me, Garrett, in your own gruff way. But you’re right, I am wasting time now,” They looked at Bianca and with a gentleness, Garrett hadn’t believed capable of the God, they wiped some of the dried and flaking blood from her cheek. “No matter what you decide you will always be my sister and my best friend.” How ominous and yet sadly soft of them, a reminder that regardless of whatever decision Bianca made pain would rear its ugly head again. 

“You have a choice to be free of Olympus forever and offer someone an escape to the place you have been running from for years.” It seemed their words meant something to Bianca because her eyes widened suddenly and she turned sharply to Sulpicia. 

There she stood shrinking into the shadows a defeated and broken woman- how Garrett’s heart hurt for her and all that had conspired between them. None of this should have happened but he could not let Aro go… it just felt as though the man 

had been waiting for him all his life.

Who would give up that feeling of knowing you had met someone that could enrich your soul by just being close and pouring their love into you? 

“You could forget him instead, you know?” Bianca crossed the room quickly, a warm amber hand reached out to take the pale marble of the woman that had once been her wardress. The kindness Bianca afforded Sulpicia exuded from her in waves only enhanced by the soft glow of the candles that surrounded them providing a physical warmth to match her expression. 

“You don’t have to live with this hurt in you. This can all go away and you can be given the chance of a new life with a new purpose.” It didn’t take long for Garret to work out what was happening and hope blossomed within him at the thought of what Bianca was suggesting. 

“Take my place, Sulpicia. Take my place and rewrite your own fate.” 

It all seemed so incredibly romantic to offer something like this. It fit together too well it seemed all too easy as though fate had been rewritten. But it had and by Bianca without her ever knowing she'd done so until now, the dagger had offered a way out. 

There was no point in pretending he knew what was going on other than the basic details. Garrett couldn't get his head around the complexities of fate not when he saw what it was capable of. 

There would likely never be an explanation as to why he was fated to meet Aro and, frankly, he didn't need one, not anymore. 

"You offer me a way out as though I deserve one." Sulpicia's tone was that of someone who was utterly miserable, and she was well within her right to feel so Garrett thought. 

"Everyone deserves a second chance. We can't live clinging to the past or some notion we've got in our heads. Take it from me, you aren't the only one who had love only for fate to strip it away from you." Kate had been quiet for so long that Garrett had almost forgotten she was there. 

"I thought I would be spending eternity with Garrett at my side but it turns out my life is taking a whole different direction and you have to let that happen. 

What happened to you was awful, it should never have happened this way but it did and now you're been given a chance to put it behind you for good. 

Do you want to hold onto this for the rest of your life or give yourself a chance to heal?" 

Garrett remained silent, his voice in the mix would not prove helpful. Any civility they might have forged in the beginning was shaky at best and now nonexistent. As much as he would have liked to have urged her to consider the offer he was helping more by keeping his mouth shut. 

It was such a grim setting being surrounded by the dead all the while offering a new beginning to someone who had been the root cause of it. He didn’t think her wholly undeserving and Garrett was used to seeing the dead it just wasn’t as refined as he was used to. 

He knew it sounded ridiculous to say refined about himself, but he had been alive a long time and had taken it upon himself to respect those he killed. He had left them with explainable deaths or just on the cusp of death with just enough spark in them that they could be revived and healthy once again. 

His existence relied on those he drank from and he would remain forever thankful to those that had kept him fed- they all had slip-ups wherein he death may have been brutal due to intense hunger but the carnage around him seemed senseless. 

Did that sound ungrateful to Bianca? He thought so. 

“Give me your life. The role that you have played since you came into being is significant and purposeful and I should like to have a true purpose in life. I have been a queen wearing a shattered crown of mirrored glass for years and I know the Volturi only see themselves in those shards. They only see themselves in the place that I am and I am tired of living in a world where I cannot walk freely as my own person.” 

Ah, how the truth now tumbled from her lips and she quivered but Garrett could not tell if it was with anticipation to leave her old life behind or from sorrow that everything she had fought for had been useless. 

When he moved his gaze to Aro, who still stood by Sulpicia’s side, he looked almost distraught and it pushed Garrett in motion, as he crossed the room a thought bloomed and it put him at ease more so than it should have. 

_No one in this room is free from guilt. We’re all monsters but even monsters need a chance at redemption._ And he would tell Aro that should he need to hear it, the thought offered great comfort to Garrett because ultimately no one was free of the crimes they had committed in the past but some could be fortunate enough that others would forget them or overlook them for a chance at peace. 

“Bianca, you will give her your life but what will you do when you are released from your role as a fate?” One of her sisters spoke their tone one of concern. It dawned on Garrett that he truly had no idea what would happen to his friend would she become human? 

“No need to worry about that, I will take care of her. Bianca will never be alone if she does not want to be.” Kate cut in almost immediately from where she now stood alone at the other side of the room. 

A soft exchange of timid smiles passed between Kate and Bianca and Garrett squeezed Aro’s hand as he realised what he had just witnessed. Something had grown between them over the time they had spent together. Kate was honest in her words that Bianca would always have someone because she would always have her. 

The exchange was unceremonious to a degree because stabbing oneself with a magical dagger still had some theatrics to it and Garrett’s morbid curiosity would have him look away as the shining metal slid right down to the hilt in Sulpicia’s stomach. 

A lot changed after that and fast. 

Sulpicia changed physically right before their eyes. While she did not take on the appearance that would have her fit in with her new family she certainly had a warmer glow to her skin, the hue of someone alive and healthy. She was stunning in life as she was in death it made sense why Aro had been drawn to her originally. 

Her memories of her old life would slowly fade until they were nothing but the whisper of a breeze in the darkest recesses of her mind. Something elusive that would dance on the corners of her memory never to full form again. 

Physically Bianca did not change but it was clear a weight had been lifted from her shoulders as she relinquished her role with a cheeriness that seemed better fitted to leaving a dull job than something that could change the world. 

It took the entire walk back up to the entrance they had first climbed through for Garrett to realise that it was all over and essentially he and Aro were free. 

They stopped before the hole in the wall, Dolos and Sulpicia had walked them back only pausing once for Garrett to retrieve his jacket from the fence post. When he found it there was a daffodil sticking out of the pocket and he smiled at the thought of Apollo protecting it from anyone who might take it. 

A soft gesture and an appreciated one. 

“That reminds me, you cannot live with all your friends being immortal while you both age and wither.” Dolos definitely did not have any sort of tact with conversation but at the thought of being immortal again, Garrett genuinely bristled with discomfort. 

How did he bring up such a delicate situation, how could he tell Aro that he didn’t really want to be immortal anymore… it seemed so easy for him to decide right on the spot that being a vampire did not appeal to him.

Perhaps it was just the allure of having a choice. 

“I am not entirely sure you need to restore us,” Aro began. It was as though the older man had read his mind but it did mean there was a less awkward conversation to ensue because Garrett looked to the God and nodded his agreement. “I think we would prefer to remain human, as odd as that may seem to you all. If we are handed out a fresh start I suppose it would only be fair to afford us the same courtesy.” To both their surprise no one argued with the decision and Dolos merely raised their hands as a show of surrender all the while smiling as though delighted by the whole thing. 

“I can’t leave you to fend off the ravages of time alone so at least let me send you off with a gift. May you never physically age but when the time comes that you have grown weary of the world that you may find peace and return to the earth all mortals do.” Kind to say the least though it seemed more for Aro’s benefit which was still appreciated. 

His mate was not overly concerned with his appearance as far as he was aware but he was older than Garrett. At least with this, they had more time though significantly less than they would have as immortals. 

“What will you do now?” Sulpicia’s soft and more human voice caught Garrett off guard and he did his best to swallow the surprise as he began to form words but Aro, again, beat him to it. 

“I think now that this is all over I would like to get married.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end. 
> 
> Thank you to all that read this, I genuinely appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. 
> 
> I did not, at the beginning, believe any one would read this and yet there are comments, kudos and bookmarks to prove me wrong and it is a joy to see.
> 
> One last chapter after this.
> 
> Again, thank you for your support.


	46. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please see the bottom of the chapter for fan art of the story.

_We lay here for years or for hours_

_Thrown here or found_

_To freeze or to thaw_

_So long we become the flowers_

_Two corpses we were_

_Two corpses I saw_

  
  


“Is this the place?” Edward’s voice came out louder than anticipated and Carlisle gave him a reproachful look as they pushed their way through the brush, the sun only having set minutes after their arrival.

The forest was still.

Winter had ravaged what little life had been left after the harsh autumn that had settled deep into the bones of the earth. 

Surprisingly, the clearing was free of the death and decay of leaves and plants that lived such short and colourful lives in the spring and summer. Only the towering trees bare of any adornments standing like sentinels in the fast-approaching evening remained. Their shadows are thrown across the clearing stretching out toward the two newcomers the branches gnarled hands grasping at thin air just out of reach of the trespassers that dared disturb the eternal slumber within the circle of old oaks. 

“Oh- this is really…” Carlisle trailed off not wanting to disrupt the silence further but Edward pressed on and finished the thought without much care for the dead that rested before the two of them. 

“Strange. It’s strange that after all that time this is what they wanted.” 

“I disagree.” A female voice floated into the clearing from behind them and both men turn to see Bianca and Kate making their way delicately through the very same thick brush Edward and Carlisle had battled through not moments before. 

It was the only greenery left in the forest but it offered no comfort to anyone. 

Kate continued. 

“Is it so strange to want peace after the lives they were forced to live?” Beside her, Bianca remained silent but she nodded solemnly all the while clutching at a shovel that shone in the fast receding low light of the sunset. 

Soon the sun would sink behind the tree line and they would be working with only the night sky above them the stars strewn across a velvet black backdrop. A beautiful night but sorrow was heavy in both women as they cast their gaze to the two that had brought them to the clearing. 

“They look peaceful.” Finally, the group of four are arranged to look upon the two still and silent rested gently against the largest oak. The faces serene to the point of angelic as though divine and in deep prayer with their hands folded to sit in their lap… worship in repose. 

No line of strife marred their features and Bianca near did not recognise the youthful complexion of Garrett his head rested against the trunk of the ancient oak tilted slightly skyward- he had left the world gazing at the stars. 

She groped in the dark reaching for Kate’s hand who found her squeezing her fingers. Both holding one another until composure was returned and their vision no longer blurred with unshed tears. 

“I did not think I would live long enough to find envy in anything Aro has done in his life.” Carlisle quipped but his voice was thick and he cleared his throat much to Edward’s disgust. There was nothing about this that brought forth any emotion to him but he was here for support to Carlisle.

As they approached the two Kate took in Aro’s countenance, how unburdened he looked. His arm threaded through Garrett’s while his hands were clasped, fingers interlocked and left on his lap as though he had only moments ago sat down. Head resting on Garrett’s shoulder, his eyes closed, he was the image of a man that had nodded off for merely a moment. 

“I wish we could just leave them like this,” Bianca whispered her voice cracking as she did so. Unable to bear the image of the men before her she looked away and closed her eyes still holding onto the shovel like a lifeline of emotional stability. 

“Let us do what we came here to do, as they asked and how they instructed.” Carlisle moved to Bianca’s side and gently coaxed the shovel from her trembling hand, all the while offering her an apologetic smile to soften the blow. 

Edward took the shovel from Carlisle though there was a silent argument between them over this. In the end, Edward won and he moved off to dig the graves for Garrett and Aro under the tree they had instructed in their letter. 

The sun had sunk below the horizon now and they were left with only the darkness. Kate found solace in the darkened woodland and sighed into the night allowing her grief to finally be known in an aching sob, her hand still clutching at Bianca’s while the other closed over her mouth to muffle the sound as she sobbed again. 

There was only the sound of muted cries and the shovel sinking into half-frozen earth. The stars above them and ignorant to the pain below them as they watched on with unseeing eyes. 

The heavens were silent. 

"I didn't expect angels. I didn't expect anything but to see them like this with nothing left to them and to have only the three of us to mourn them seems so empty and sad."

"Most would believe they deserved less than this," Carlisle added quietly his voice a whisper all the while his eyes were settled on watching Edward dig. He was all too aware of the two resting in their eternal slumber across from him and refused to turn to face them- it felt grotesque to see them in the moonlight their shadows thrown across the clearing.

Carlisle scoffed when he fancied that perhaps they ought not to have shadows now they had died.

A childish musing to soften the reality as it slowly sank deep within him. 

"Aro didn't care about that neither did Garrett but he deserved more. Aro knew who he was and the wrongs he had committed and tried hard to right the hurt he had caused but…" Bianca trailed off sounding regretful, feeling that the excuses cheapened their passing. "It's just there will never be a time wherein everyone is happy with you. He could never fix everything because even when you acknowledge the wrongs you've done and work hard to learn from them… it's not always enough for some people."

Carlisle interjected, though his eyes remained on Edward as he spoke. 

"No one is obligated to offer him forgiveness and Aro knew that. Garrett didn't deserve to be tarred with the same brush… evil by association. Ah, but he would disagree we know that." 

Kate remained silent finally choking back her sobs until she was still and the unshed tears receded. Her hand still gripped Bianca's, her eyes narrowed at Carlisle but she said nothing. 

“Let them rest in peace, say no more on them as living creatures.” Bianca could scarcely raise her voice but she had been heard by them all, even Edward who had ceased his digging to regard the others across the clearing. 

When he spoke the anger in his voice from earlier had gone and he merely sounded weary. 

“We are not living things, Bianca. We move and we talk but we are not alive.” He gripped the shovel in his pale hands and Carlisle heard the wood creak to the point that it might splinter but said nothing about it. 

“But they were. And we feel Edward, we feel intensely. You have experienced that for yourself- how can we not be alive when we can love and hate and feel sorrow?”

“This is not the time to discuss what we are. Just shut up and lay them to rest, I don’t want to look at either of you for any longer than I have to tonight!” Kate snapped and she wrenched her hand from Bianca’s. 

They all watched as Kate stalked over to the two they were here for and she crouched down in front of them. No one moved even when Kate reached out to stroke Garrett’s face- he had gotten older and it wasn’t until now that she had realised that. 

Not so very old but enough that he no longer resembled the youth he had once been frozen as for hundreds of years. His skin was freezing and rigid now and nausea roiled in her stomach and up to her throat but she swallowed back the feeling and moved the hair from Garrett’s eyes with a gentle touch. 

“They should be allowed eternal sleep after tasting eternal life. Just help me put them in the ground and let us leave this place until summer comes around.” 

Carlisle moved to help and in seconds both were laid to rest deep in the cold earth, Edward began filling the graves back up with dirt and remained silent for the duration along with everyone else. 

“This is it. The final goodbye. Does anyone have anything they’d like to say, a few words to end the evening?” Bianca looks to Kate but she is staring at the two neat mounds before her avoiding her gaze. Edward still gripped the shovel and he offered a scowl when Bianca’s gaze fell to him, and Carlisle shook his head having no words to offer. 

“Perhaps silence is the best for them, what words could one use to adequately describe their lives and who they were?” 

When no one responded she could only sigh retaking Kate’s hand and tugging her away from the clearing to head back to the car parked at the forest’s edge. The shovel was discarded by the side of the mounds and both Edward and Carlisle followed closely behind the other two as they too left. 

Only two figures remained behind, their shadows missing as they stepped into the moonlit clearing hand in hand. 

“Did you think they would come?” The shorter figure of the two asks quietly as it watched the retreating backs of those they had come to know as friends and family. 

“No, they had every right to ignore our wishes.”

“They’re kind-hearted, isn’t that what we loved about them so?”

Garrett squeezed Aro’s hand and nodded still watching the retreat through the brush until he could no longer see them. 

“It was the last favour we could ever ask of them. If they hadn’t shown we would have at least fed the wildlife.” Aro groaned at Garrett’s humour but he smiled, all the same, there was no sense in denying he thought the man was funny. 

“Well, we’re all done here. Shall we rest now?”

“Think it is about time we did.” 

The figures faded from the clearing their laughter ringing out throughout the forest as they headed to whatever the afterlife held for them.

  
  


_And they'd find us in a week_

_When the buzzards get loud_

_After the insects have made their claim_

_After the foxes have known our taste_

_After the raven has had its say_

_I'd be home with you_

_I'd be home with you_

_I'd be home with you_

_I'd be home with you_

_I'd be home with you_

_I'd be home with you_

_..._

__


End file.
